Kagome of the Phoenix Clan
by SangoShadowphoenix
Summary: Kagome, daughter of the founder of the Phoenix Clan, avenges her father's death is now in the youkai capital 2 bring justice 2 those who do evil therehumans included. Mix of Chinese and Jap cultures. IYK,SanMir.
1. Chapter 1: Kagome of the Phoenix Clan

Author Notes: PLEASE READ!!! I NEED TO EXPLAIN THE CONCEPTS OR YOU WILL GET CONFUSED!! The most important thing to say right now is the relationships of everyone in the School. 

Kagome's Father=founder of the school, called "Master Father". Kagome's Mother=Master Mother." Kagome's grandfather=Master of the School(currently). Kagome and Souta are either "little sister/brother" or "elder sister/brother" of the school, depending on the age of whoever is calling them-if caller is younger, they call them as "elder", and so on. 

But, if the caller is calling someone else in the school, then it goes accordingly to who entered the school first; i.e. if 21 year old "Mack" is new, even 12 year old"Sherry" would be classified as "elder." As well, the "School" will also be referred to as a clan, because that's the clan is so big it has it's own styles and so on(to cut it short.) Last thing. The clothing, language and cultures/traditions with alternate between Chinese and Japanese. Don't worry, I'll have translations next to it. 

Now on with the thanks. If you really cant wait to read the fic, go on. Anyhow, thank you so much, for trying out my first fic. I know it'll be a little odd, but I'll try my best to alter it the way the reviews go. I won't force you to write reviews, but feel free. Other than my first chapters(assuming I'll write more in the future), I'm going to start putting the ANs at the bottom so you can jump straight to the story. Sorry for babbling, just didn't want for you to give up on my first fic because you didn't understand it...eheh...and NO. I don't own Inu Yasha and co. you should be smart enough to figure it out!!

**Chapter One: Kagome of the Phoenix Clan**

"Today, you die! I'm gonna kill you just like I killed your father!"

"No I won't, you old hag! YOU'RE the one who's gonna pay for killing my father!"

"Kagome! Look out! Make sure she doesn't get you with her Scorpion's Tail!"

"I know, Mother! Father died from the hag's poison. Hya! Hup!" Jumping up onto a high tree branch, 15 year old Kagome dodged the scorpion demon's attack. She had waited and trained since 5 to avenge her father's death. Now, as she delivered her final blow with her last arrow, what her mother had said about her father's death flashed before her eyes

_"Kagome, you are 5 now, able to start training martial arts. It's also time that I told you of your father's death he would want you to avenge him He was killed by a scorpion demon while healing from wounds that were caused when he fought against a group of 12 other youkaiHer name was "Ai Xue" "To Love Blood" After she injected her poison into your Father, she took her dagger and cut into his flesh, forming the words: 'If you survive my poison, 15 years later you may be able to stop me. But if not, then death it shall be for you and those you love when I return!' She'll be back in 10 years, as you were born the day your father breathed his last"_

_'Mother Father I won't let you down! I'm as good as any 17 year old fighter! Everyone in the School knows that! And I'm going to make it known to those who had once hurt Father, as well! Father'_

"THIS IS FOR YOU, FATHER!!!!" She let her arrow fly. 

The onlookers, sisters and brothers of her father's martial arts school and clan, including her Mother, grandfather, and 8 year old brother, seemed to watch the arrow cut through the air and pierce the demon through the heart and out again, stabbing into the tree behind the gruesome creature in slow motion, all the while hearing the fierce whistle of the arrow head splitting the air. They watched, and all was silent except for the agonized cries of the demon, melting into the ground bit by bit, until a smoking ditch spread by her acidic poison lay where she had, moments before. 

Breathing harshly from her fight, Kagome lowered her arms from her shooting stance and her determined face softened to her usual bright smile. This time though, she smiled because she had successfully fulfilled a responsibility. She could hear her large family cheering clearly, yet her vision was blurred. They cried thanks and cheered joyously up to the daughter of the Master Father of the School, granddaughter to the present Master of the School. 

In their eyes, though there was no way to share thoughts amongst the crowd, she was a goddess who avenged Master Father's death, standing high above their heads as if to challenge the world for more hardships. How serious her wounds were didn't matter anymore, as they had long since forgotten that the young girl had suffered blows and slashes to achieve her goal. Her smile, the one that could make the sun hide behind clouds in shame during day hours, make the stars seem as if they didn't glow at all in the night. Her smile was reassurance that she was as healthy as she had been when the day started. 

That is, it was reassurance until they saw her fall 

** ** ** 

_'Where where is this?'_ I looked around. 

Mist. 

Everywhere. 

I started walking forward; time itself seemed to have slowed. Every ripple of the black water under my feet took minutes to spread, my hair flying in an insensible wind. 

Slowly Slowly 

That was when I finally noticed that I was walking on water. Not _in_ water, but _on_ water. I opened my mouth to cry out in surprise, but no sound came. Puzzled, I noticed that there were dark figures in the mist, seemingly to be wearing hooded cloaks that spread down to their feet, making it impossible to tell even the slightest detail of the hidden person, or thing. 

My head turned to look around me, my hair slowly following. 

Surrounded. 

I took out an arrow, reaching back to my filled quiver — which I didn't recall being on my back some whiles ago, along with my bow — and strung it professionally on my bow, drawing it back all the way, arrow pointed down as I further studied the dark figures around me.

I don't know why I shot the arrow, but I did. I fired it at the shadow in front of me, and the shadow to my target's left stepped in front, taking in my arrow, the force of it throwing back _his_ hood. 

A handsome young man, black hair tied back in a short ponytail. My former target, having cradled the one hurt, pulled back _her_ hood. An attractive young woman in a black, body fitting fighting suit, armor and all, her long, sleek black hair tied in a high ponytail. She cradled the young man's head in her lap, having knelt down to better accommodate the injured man. Their eyes locked, filled with emotions like pain and understanding. 

I don't know what made me do it, but I pulled out another arrow and released it towards the shadow to my right. _He_ howled silently in pain, his long white hair gleaming like silver in the misty darkness of where we were, his golden eyes full of pain and confusion, anger and disbelief. He fell to his knees, eyes begging for an explanation of why I had hurt him for no reason. I didn't even know. 

_'Three down, three more to go.'_

Again I took an arrow and again I took aim. This time to the shadow to my left. I let fly. The cloak fell. My arrow ripped the empty cloak in half, straight down the middle. I blinked. 

_'Two...'_

Had I seen correctly? Maybe. No... 

_'No... Something...something's on my leg!'_

Looking down quickly, I felt myself soften at the cute boy clinging to my left leg. Tears rolled down his face, soaking into my fighting suit's pant leg. After not obtaining an answer for some silent question I knew not what of, it leapt over to the male with white hair and — I gasped. Or rather, I would have, if I was able to utter even the tiniest sound. Why didn't I notice it before? 

_'He...he has...DOG EARS?! Youkai?!'_

No. Not a youkai. Youkai ears were elflike. He was a hanyou. But the cute child was a youkai. A kitsune. The kitsune was tugging on the man's wide kimono sleeve, crying, while the man just kneeled there, staring at me, palm pressed against his chest to stop the flow of blood, the arrow I shot between his fingers.

_'What about the second shadow I saw? Where is it?'_

I looked around and found _her_, a little girl with large, curious eyes and layered hair in a short little ponytail on the right side of her head. She was hiding behind a very tall shadow, diagonally behind me to the right. Yet again I fired an arrow at the cloaked figure. It caught the arrow at an arm's length distance, this time. Like a waterfall the cloak fell off the broad shoulders of the figure. 

A male youkai, white tail wrapped around his right shoulder, white hair cascading down his back like the hanyou. The same golden eyes. A set of parallel stripes across each cheek level to his youkai ears, and a crescent moon on his forehead, all purple-blue, framed by his white bangs. 

I took a step back. 

_'His eyes...' _

His eyes were cold, much colder than his expressionless face. I studied his clothing now. White kimono decorated with fuchsia colored patterns at the neckline and the ends of the sleeves, a katana to his left waist. My eyes traveled down his sleeve and stopped short at his hands. 

His _clawed_ hands. 

They held the same purple-blue stripes that graced his cheekbones, unconsciously directing the center of attention to his deadly claws when one looked at his hands. I looked into his eyes again, and was not surprised to find the same lack of emotion and warmth there had been seconds ago. 

A distance next to him, the shadowed figure to my current right stepped forward gracefully, permitting me a peek of wide red pants. It reached back and took its bow, long and taught, strung with an arrow. 

As did I. 

We both released at the same time, and both arrows left bright trails of light, slicing into the air in their way, clashing in a burst of fiery brightness in the middle of the space between the two of us. I watched as the silent wind of the collision soundlessly ripped the cloak off _her_ shoulders, revealing a young girl clad in Miko clothing. 

_'She...She looks like me...!?'_

As quickly as I had entered this world of nothingness, I was sent to another. I walked aimlessly around again, taking in my surroundings. As if there were any other surroundings than the black and the mist. 

_'Who...Who's calling me?'_

I thought I'd heard someone calling my name.... must be my imagination. 

_Kagome.... please.... Kagome...._

There it was again. I quickened my pace, then suddenly lost consciousness to the strange world I was in.

** ** **

"Kagome! Please, Kagome! Wake up!"

"Mother Higurashi, you mustn't shake your daughter so! It could re-open her wounds!"

"Sensei{Doctor}, jie-jie{elder sis} has been unconscious for three days now. You said so yourself that it may mean she'd live in a coma for the rest of her life. Of course Mother would worry like that."

"Yes, Souta, but it isn't good for Kagome to be shak— oh! good, she's waking! Souta, please take you Mother outside for a bit, get some fresh air. I need to see to Kagome."

"Hai. Mother, let's take a walk in the gardens for a while."

The doctor waited until the door was closed, then turned to his waking patient. She seemed fine, just a bit banged up from her fight, and the fact that her eyes _showed_ the pain she was currently in relieved him to know that her brain was still functioning properly, unaffected by the sharp blow she had obtained on the back of her head during the bloody duel.

"How are you feeling, Ms. Higurashi? Do you remember everything? Any particular part of your body hurting more than the rest? Try not to move, just rest and tell me if anything is out of place."

"Ugh... I so clearly. Nah, just the usual pains you get from battling, nothing out of order. Thank you for taking care of me while I was out. By the way, how long has it been?"

"Just a couple of days. Three to be exact. We were worried about the long period of time it took you to awaken, but now everything is fine. Did you have a nice three-day rest? You were sweating and clenching your hands quite a bit."

"Three? It felt like only an hour... I'm sorry if I worried anyone. I think I had a dream. I can't remember anything though..."

"What? I thought you just said you remembered everything! Oh my, that blow must have been harder than I thought. Relax and let me see that bump again." The doctor immediately started to study Kagome's huge bump, courtesy of a certain very nasty scorpion youkai, while Kagome rushed to reply.

"N-no, not that! I meant I didn't— OWowowow!— remember anything from my——eek! That _HURTS_!— dream....ack...."

The doctor sighed in relief after hearing her words, and lightly patted Kagome on her shoulder, rewarding her affectionately for not swinging her fist at him in response to the pain the way most of his patients did. After all, he _is_ a doctor for a whole clan of martial artists.

** ** **

"Well, this is it. I've finally healed from my wounds and now I'm off to challenge the world. Father would be so proud of me."

"Yes, Kagome. Your father would have been if he were here to see you. I'm so happy you're willing to give up your freedom as a youth to help those in need... even if I don't like the fact that it's in the youkai capital. But I trust you. I trust that you'll take good care of yourself and the innocent people there. Still, be careful! You know full well that your skills in fighting were meant for combating with humans!" 

Mother Higurashi wept at her grown child. She was so proud that Kagome had mastered every weapon there was to learn, and was using it for a positive purpose. She was also proud that her daughter was able to beat any fighter in the clan, including herself and Kagome's grandfather. Her daughter had beat all the other top fighters from the other clans as well, even though she was only fifteen, earning an echoing reputation for her skills and her clan. 

Yet, despite her confidence in her one and only daughter, she was still uneasy about the fact that the clan's fighting techniques were not directed at youkai. Although it was possible, and clearly proven by Kagome when she avenged the Master Father of the School, to defeat youkai with the human fighting tactics, there were many other youkai that were much stronger, if not quicker, than the scorpion youkai that the whole School despised to the bone. 

"Don't worry Mother. I'll be fine. Take care of Gramps and Souta for me, 'kay?"

With that, she kissed her beloved Mother, hugged her grandfather and younger brother Souta, and bowed respectfully to the large group that had come to see her off, the way all martial artists bowed to each other off the fighting grounds. The crowd replied with its own bow full of gratefulness for the young heroine. 

They watched as their best warrior traveled down the path and over the lush hills, sword at her slender waist, bow and arrows slung over her strong shoulder, small pack of clothing and possessions accompanying the bow and quiver. They watched until even her tiny shadow was out of sight, then turned and traveled back to the collections of well built houses to continue practicing and training.

AN: Ah, yes. I forgot to mention the very last thing-here, Kagome is a fighter, not a miko, and she isnt the reincarnation of Kikyou; you'll get intro-ed to Kikyou*shiver**glare**back to normal* next chapter...^^ feel free to review or email- athena_amy@hotmail.com


	2. Chapter 2: Into the Youkai Capital Inu Y...

AN: Okay, I know I promised AN's to be at the bottom, but I needed to say that from now on all words used that are not in English, other than people's/place's names, will be defined at the bottom(however insignificant some may be), listed in the order they appear in the chapter. Further AN's at bottom.

**Chapter Two: Into the Youkai Capital; Inu Yasha of the Nokihs Kingdom**

"Miroku-sama?"

"Ah! Your Highness! What brings a Queen such as yourself, to the cold shades of the trees so early in the morning? Not even the maids are up yet."

"What reason do you have for your own presence here?"

"Ah... I was... thinking about the festivities being held this coming Thursday. Only three more days of waiting to stroll through streets and---"

"You need not pretend, Lord Miroku. You were hoping to catch my son before he left the grounds, were you not?"

"Uh... I...I... didn't mean to say false things, Your Highness, just---"

"No need to explain. And stop bowing like that! You're going to have a terrible back ache soon. I wouldn't stop feeling guilty if you had to walk around like that for a whole week because your back stiffened during our wait for my son."

"Eheh, Your Highness is as kind-hearted as ever.. But please do sit down, there's much waiting to do and they didn't invent these benches just to gaze at the wonderful gardens."

"Thank you. ... 

It's been a year, yet my son still has not healed from the wounds in his heart."

Miroku looked at his best friend's royal mother with understanding in his eyes. Her soft, violet eyes shimmered with tears she fought to hold back. He also noted that her cherry blossum-like lips were quivering, and he decided not to say anything. So the two sat there, taking comfort in each other quiet silence. 

He, the royal priest and advisor Miroku Gongswen, was very close to the royal family even without his service to them. Prince Inu Yasha, true son of Queen Helian who sat next to him now, was more of a brother than a best friend, and Queen Helian and King Inuzhao were more parents than royal "clients" and "business partners."

"Inu...Yasha..." Queen Helian whispered. 

Sure enough, heading there way was her one and only son, younger of the two princes of their beautiful and beloved Nikohs Kingdom. She stood from her place on the marble garden bench, her soft black hair flowing down her back, the pink and white silk kimono she wore murmuring as she moved. Miroku stood as well, the six rings of his priest staff jingling as he picked it up from where it leaned against a nearby tree. 

The prince stopped, the wind running through his silver-like white hair, the slowly rising sun's first rays reflecting off his sorrowed, amber colored eyes. His furry, white dog ears twitched towards where his mother and best friend stood next to a huge, magnificent iron gate that led to the awakening streets of the youkai capital. He continued his walk then, red fire rat kimono making him stand out in the greens of the grass, shrubs and trees. 

He walked, silently, past his mother and best friend, and they saw that yet again he had taken his prized sword, Testusaiga --- the Steel Cleaving Fang --- with him. When he was a step away from the open gates, he turned and looked at his weeping mother, who had long before lost control to the tears flowing freely down her flushed cheeks.

"Mu-ho, you should go inside before the winds make you catch cold. Miroku, I thought you had some senses in that hentai mind of yours, letting Mother stay out so early in the morning. Please escort her back inside." With that, the half-youkai prince left. 

Queen Helian followed her troubled son with her eyes until he rounded a corner and disappeared. She felt Miroku's comforting hand on her shoulder, gently urging her to head back to the large estate. She had to smile a bit --- just a bit --- at the joke-that-was-not-a-joke her son made. Yes, it was true the royal _priest_ and advisor was a hentai, but at least he knew not to try things with upset and worrying mothers...

Or was it just that this mother was royalty? She didn't know, and didn't have the heart to find out. All she could think of was that yet again it was a day to worry for her son and remain next to her husband, helping him in his issues at court.

"I'll go to the Autumn Flowers House later on today, see if I can lighten his mood a bit."

"Thank you. You always do that, no matter what things are at hand. I thank you very much for that, Miroku-sama." _'Course, you could also get a few girls as well, being the type of man you are..._ That thought made her tiny smile burst into a cheerful crescent shape.

"Hey...I'm not _that_ bad, Your Highness."Miroku whined. The young Queen blinked. 

"Excuse me?..."

"You just said that I could also get a few girls as well, being the type of man I am..." Her royal advisor looked hurt.

"Oh! My! Nonono! I didn't mean that! I mean, did I say that? Eheh..." 

Miroku sighed, but he was too good-natured to be hurt by a statement that was...half true... And besides, if it could help lighten up her mood first thing in the morning, he'd let even the nastiest of nasty comments pass. 

_'She's so worried she's even talking her thoughts without knowing.' _ He thought. 

_'Inu Yasha... when are you going to get over Kikyou...'_ The monk shook his head in silent disapproval._'Even when you found out she was toying with your heart and planning to assassinate your whole royal family... Why can't you let her go?' _

_** ** **_

_'Ah! The bustling of an active city. Yep, this is demon territory, alright. Ever since I set foot in this kingdom, I had to start traveling at night so none of the youkai noticed that I didn't have a master, like all the other humans here. _

_I guess I could make the rest of the trip today, even if I risk getting caught..._

_I'm almost to the capital, where the King and Queen and their two sons live. But I need to think of somewhere to go undercover, pick up some clues on some evildoing people.'_

Kagome passed an opening bar, the human slave looking extremely tired and skinny, hair looking as if it hadn't been combed in years. Some shouts came from within the bar, and the slave winced, preparing for another beating when he got inside.

Kagome frowned. 

She quickened her steps, but not to a run, lest some youkai masters think she was a runaway slave or something --- she _did_ look pretty suspicious in her heavy, black, hooded cloak. Thankfully, the cloak was so big that her possessions and prized weapons were safely hidden on her back. 

_'Not at a bar like that. They'd probably make me wear something too revealing and it also stinks in there! I'd have to bathe at least a dozen times a day to keep myself clean.'_

As a fighter, she had learned that the healthiest thing to be, if not well rested and fed, was to be and remain clean. She remembered, triggered by her analyzing of a fitting place to stay, her own experience with being a dirty fighter...

======_Flashback_

Little Kagome was in the garden, splashing away at the puddles left from the three-day storm. She was happy to be out, to be dirty. Anything other than being cooped up for three days straight. Sure, she trained. It was mandatory for people like her to train everyday, no matter how good they were. But it just wasn't the same! It wasn't the same without the breeze, the skies --- whatever color they may be --- and the scenery! It didn't feel free and full of opportunities. 

So here she was, getting all soaked and muddy under the afternoon sun, splashing about in her training clothes, squealing like a... well, like the content young girl she was. 

"Kagome! Lee-ming wanted to practice with you. Hand to hand combat, she said. Her dad wasn't too impressed with whatever she demonstrated when he tested her, so she wanted to practice more and get some advice. She's in the courtyard. You'd better hurry. I told her you'd be right there."

"'Kay, Ma! I'm going straight there, since I don't need to bring anything."

"Oh! Kagome! No, at least change your clothes, first! You might swallow some dirt or get mud in your eyes ---" Too late, she was already gone, eagerly looking forward to her little "duel."

At the courtyard, Kagome found her friend sitting under a young willow tree, back to her. Deciding upon a surprise attack to warm up and greet Lee-ming, she crept forward slowly, then, in one swift motion, pounced on Lee-ming, who in turn shrieked in surprise and began thrashing about frantically. 

Still not letting go, the two girls rolled over and over in the muddy ground, not exactly what 'engaged in hand-to-hand combat' meant, mind you. The one who asked for aid had, by now, realized her situation and began trying to pry herself free, while the one asked to help tightened her grip even more. 

"If ya dun leggo and start helpin' with ma skills, I'm gunna hafta make ya!" Lee-ming cried.

"Neverrrgh! Not until ye yields!" Returned Kagome, using her pirate's voice. 

Lee-ming got the hang of the idea, and replied in a pirate's voice as well: "Aargg! If zzzat be so, then I'll hafta torture ye ta make ye spit out the location of zzze gold, heh?"

"An'wa kinda torture d'you think will make me, Loorddy of all pirrrates, betray me precious ssstones?"

"This!" With that, Lee-ming began to furiously tickle Kagome at the waist, until Kagome finally said, between gasps for air, "I yield! I yield!"

"Do ya beg fer mercy? Hm?!"

"Yes...ackakaka...I beg for...ahahahahaha!"

"Eh? That ain't the 'mercy' that ya begg'in fer! Ye want more, eh? Begg'in fer 'ahaha' could only mean more!"

"Nonoooo! I didn't mean...ahahah...ahahah...."

And so it went on, the two girls rolling in the mud, until finally Kagome found an opening and sprang away from Lee-ming, gasping for breath.

"Alright, enough, we're so dirty now. Let's start your hand to hand combating practice." Said the aider. 

The aided agreed, and together they took a fighting stance --- legs shoulder width apart and bent at the knees, hands held in front of their chests, in guarding pose, one in a fist, the other in a flat palm, their bodies turning slightly at an angle, facing diagonally away from the center of their "dueling grounds." 

They started and fought, slowly at first, so that Kagome knew what level her friend had reached, and then drove her to higher levels, forcing Lee-ming to guard more and attack less, but also forcing Lee-ming to quicken her reflex skills --- what Lee-ming lacked the most. 

They were almost ready for their break, when suddenly Kagome's muddy shoes slipped on the cement floor, twisting her ankle. Lee-ming, though her reflex skills had increased considerably through this hour and a half, was not quick enough to prevent the twisted ankle from crashing into her own ankle, and she fell upon Kagome, who was at the moment on the ground in pain. 

Unfortunately, Lee-ming didn't have time to break her fall, and when she crashed on top of the ankle-twisted girl, her own mud covered feet and legs tangled into Kagome's dragging her fall down in an almost doubled speed, as her nose smashed into the stony ground of the courtyard. 

As a result, the blood of Lee-ming's nose mixed with the mud and dirt on both girls' forms, seeping into their cuts and scrapes, blinding their vision, and making movements much harder --- slipping and squirming in the spreading sea of blood and grime.

It had taken two hours in total to get the girls cleaned of the mud and blood alone (during which the two youngsters howled and screamed with pain, nearly deafening their nurses), and another half to care for wounds. It served a valuable lesson, though.

They learned that staying clean would not only make you feel fresh and free, it would also prevent accidents such as these. ...

=======_End Flashback_

During the replay of her childhood incident, she passed an extremely expensive looking restaurant which she could tell would be closing up soon, due to the lack of customers because of the prices. It wasn't one of those elegant and therefore expensive restaurants, but one of the illogically reasoned 'we-charge-alot-so-we-earn-more' restaurants. 

It would do no good to work in a place with few people to spread news that she desired, or at a place that would not make it through for another few weeks, a month at most. 

An inn. 

No good to get exhausted during the day working at such a place. Her treks were at night, and she would need to be very alert to deal justice to demons, so straining backs and tiring legs would definitely not score for a place to stay. 

The sun would be up in a few minutes, and she would be in even more danger than she was in now. She passed a tall building that also took up the rest of the street. She noticed the red lanterns gracing the perimeters, as well as the sweet, intoxicating smell of various types of flowers. It wasn't until she reached the middle of the large building, though, that she confirmed her suspicions. 

_'Yep. Just like I thought. A brothel. No good. Might lose myself or get sold as a concubine or something...'_

Shaking her head, she continued on her search. But, halfway down the second road, she stopped and turned back, looking at the tall main building where on its balcony the ladies would stand during the day, persuading men to stop by for a cup of tea. She didn't like the idea of staying at a brothel, but heck, it's _the_ most informative place, not counting the King's courtyard, maybe. Besides, she always had an interest for singing and dancing... 

Before she knew it, she had already stepped up to the broad, elegant wood and paper doorway. Through the finely painted paper windows, she could see the many tables scattered in the main dining area. 

She gulped. 

Did she really want to do this? 

Hell no. 

Did she really need to do this? 

Hell no. 

So why was she here, trying to force herself to knock on the doors? 

How the hell was _she_ supposed to know?

It just felt as if this was the place where she would meet someone, possible some_thing_ even, that would be special, close... Like this was where her adventures would begin, or where she would find a new beginning...Technically speaking, it _is_ the place her adventures, beginnings, and such would begin. That is, if she chose this place to be her hideout. And she _would _find someone or something special, close. 

Scratch that. Make it _people_, and _lechers_ that she would find that would be _close, special_. 

_'Yeah, 'cause they got some major problems keeping themselves away from these scantily dressed ladies and need to get their brains checked for being classified as _normal_, hanging out at a place like this 24-7, and---'_

"Can I help you miss?"

"Oh! Uh... I'm...I mean, I'd like to... uh..."

"You'd like to join me and my ladies at our lovely Autumn Flowers House?"

"Uh..."

"It's alright to be shy, dear. You're not the only one who ended up at a place like this against their will, if that's the case. I understand perfectly. But I must warn you: you should be less shy if you're going to live under my roof, whichever job you take on. And --- Oh, my! My manners! How clumsy; come inside, the day is still starting, and soon my daily and new customers'll arrive and I won't get time to settle you in."

"Um... thank you, Mother." 

"Ah! It's lovely to know that _some_one finally knows to call the Lady of the House 'Mother' without the Mother actually having to say so. I must say, you are the first, as amazing as it is." 

Yes, she was definitely the Lady of the House. Her fine, ruby red dress and silky fabrics of her light, outer robe emphasized the jewels and fresh flowers tucked in her hair, and the pearls and jades, ambers and corals wrapping around her bare neck and wrists seemed to make her appear younger than her age of early forties. 

Her chattering and positivity increased her evidence as the head of the brothel, for in order to attract and maintain customers, one had to socialize, and, in this special place, suck up. Majorly, too, and it all couldn't be done with the smiles and compliments that pour out of a mouth like hers, and she led Kagome into an inner bedroom on the main floor, not far from the door. 

At the back of the bedroom was the bed, and at the front was a meter-wide table which seated four people. The front and back of the obvious lady's room was separated by a sparkling bead curtain, gracing the room with it's rainbow reflections. It did not seem to be a room to accompany night customers, so Kagome assumed it was the Mother's room. A tray with overturned cups and a steaming teapot lay in the center of the polished wooden table. 

Here, after seating her new family member, the questions began to pour from her mouth as she poured tea for the seated girl of fifteen that had obviously traveled a ways to get here.

"I won't ask any personal questions...at least, not those of things like family, relations and such. Just ones about things I need to know to know you and help our customers know you. First off, what would you like to be called in this heaven for men?"

"Phoenix, please, Mother."

"Feng? A wonderful choice! What would you like to be? You have a very nice body and face. It would be a waste to be just a serving girl."

"I was thinking, just a dancer. I've had an interest in singing and dancing since I was young, and have learned a great number of traditional dancing and songs. I can also play all the main instruments. Seeing that the singer and dancer are combined at Houses such as these, it would fit my request, as I would not wish to offend my parents by... you know... with the men..."

"No problem! We were lacking a singer, anyhow. But you do know that singers also accompany the men at tables, when off the stage, right? I hope you're good at handling heavy trays?"

"I often helped my mother in the kitchen and with her chores about the house. The well is some hundred meters away, and I always fetch two pails of well water for her every morning."

"Very good! I trust your word, Feng-er. Any other skills? I've always wanted one who knew a bit of martial arts and could entertain the men a bit with it. You don't seem like it, but you never know."

"... No. Other than the fact that I have a sharp tongue and am not afraid to use it."

"Ohohoho! We've got an arguer here, hm? Good! Some of the Ladies aren't very good challenges for some of the knowledge filled Lords that frequent this place. That reminds me, do you read? Or write?"

"... No. But I certainly have many poems in this little fifteen year old brain of mine, and I think I could probably equal a scholar in knowledge, if the reading and writing were not included. My parents were quite literate, so I learned from them."

"I see. Though it is odd that if your parents know to read and write they didn't teach you. Anyhow, how is your drinking amount?"

"... I lived on a farm, even knowing the poems were useless on a farm. It was just my interest. My drinking amount is high, if I do say so myself. I used to challenge the village boys to contests and would either win or lose by two or three cups."

"I see. I will tell you know, Lady Phoenix, that you have my trust, full trust at that, right now. Though you are quick with your tongue, I want you to go slowly. I don't want you giving the customers the idea that you think you're on top of the world. When I place my trust in you, I hope that you will maintain it, and not lose it like some of the rather unpleasant experiences I've had with other girls. 

If I find that you are not worthy to stay, you _will_ be released. I'll see to your room and get one of the girls to tour you around, but by noon I'd like to see what you can do-come to here, my room, ready. I'll arrange new clothes and jewelry, don't worry. As for other rules... hm... call the Ladies 'elder sister,' the customers appropriately, especially the Lords that come often. 

Remember to report to me or send a guard to me if anything goes wrong, whether it is a dropped plate or burnt hand. If it's a spill or something like that, tend to it yourself. Anything else I missed? Nope. Any questions?"

"Ummm... no... I'd like to get started as soon as possible, though..."

"Wonderful!" Walking to the bedroom door, she poked her head out and called for one of the Ladies.

"Chun-hua! Chun-hua! Come to Mother's room!" Turning back to Lady Phoenix, she said: "I must say, ever since she became the reddest of the Ladies, she's been slacking off quite a bit."

"Yes, Mother?" A sweet looking, navy blue haired girl in a transparent black outer robe and sky blue, body fitting dress walked in, her curly, shoulder length hair bouncing where a few strands were left out purposefully from the neat bun of the rest of her hair sat atop of her head. The bun was framed with carnations and baby's breath, as well as a few jewels and dangling bead stands here and there. 

Around her bare neck a long pearl necklace was wrapped twice, the first loop right up to the skin, the second hanging down lower, resting above her chest, where in the center of the strand of white sat a delicately carved piece of jade, meant to attract attention to her very open top and turquoise eyes. 

Her earrings were short, teardrop shaped pearls that hung directly from a golden stud, keeping all focus on the lovely willow-arch shaped brow, teasing eyes softly touched by a dark plum colored eyeshadow, straight nose, blushed cheeks and soft lavender colored lips. Though the lipstick seemed an odd coloring, it made her all the more beautiful. 

"My dear, Spring Flower, show Lady Phoenix around a bit, then let her have Penny's old room. She'll be taking her old possessions, as well. Feng-er, this is Chun-hua. Chun-hua-jie to you, as I said before. She's the reddest right now, in the spotlight, I say! All the men crave for her presence to honor their tables and wine." 

And that was exactly what Lady Chun-hua did. Kagome could easily tell that this lady, though popular and cherished by the men, did not like newcomers like herself at all. When they passed a significant area, her tour guide would give single worded descriptions of the area's use, who usually came, and what the place was called. 

Kagome's room, she found, was next to the pond and small bamboo forest, in the "West Bamboo Forest Court," at ground level, and across from another tall, balconied building. The only difference was that this building's balconies faced the inside of the brothel, rather than the outside. All in all, Kagome's room was quite close to the main entryway and the main dining hall, as well as easy access to every other thing she would need. 

She was left alone in her new room, and once she was sure no one passing would stop and disturb her (for at this time it was already about nine or so, and the place was already buzzing with life), she lifted a polished floorboard near her new bed and placed her weapons there, after which she carefully replaced the wooden rectangle back. Double checking to make sure everything around the board was fine and looked undisturbed, she set out to the bath house with some carefully chosen clothing and toiletries in a covered basket. 

Of course, she understood that their were two types of bath houses in these walls --- one for the customers to be accompanied by the ladies they pay for, and the other for the people who lived here. Being new, she had to stop a few times to make sure she went the correct direction, for though her guide had pointed out the bath house, she never stopped to allow Kagome to memorize the exact location. 

After her bath she combed her hair and dressed herself, happy that not all the clothes in her room were near transparent or cut low. She had chosen a silk, white dress that flared at the bottom a bit, creating wave like patterns from the soft material. 

On top, she wore a thin outer robe that stopped at the knees. It had a light, soft pink color that faded to the same silky white of her dress from the end to the waist. It was worn like a vest, pulling the opening together to overlap in a slight "v" shape at the neck, returning to an opening at the middle from the waist, where a white sash emphasized the slim waist and pink of the top robe. 

The sleeves were loosely made and the same gradient of pink to white occurred at the end of the sleeve to the middle of the forearm. The collar of the top was the same white as the rest of her outfit, but the gold embroidery of phoenixes and peony flowers made them different. 

Kagome didn't like too much jewelry, as she always thought of jewelry, make up and such as fake masks, so she put the top half of her hair in a bun with a lightly jeweled golden comb, touched with a few peach blossoms. The lower half she wore down, flowing down to mid back. Two light strands were left in front on either side of her neck, though, and her dangling coral studded earrings were the only other pieces of jewelry she wore, the fine thread like gold allowing the small spherical coral pieces to swish happily to and fro. 

She didn't where much make up --- just a light touch of lipstick to make her lips stand out a bit more, a dab of blush, and a barely sensible stroke of brick red eyeshadow. It was all barely noticeable, as she had chosen colors that were very natural, and only to help emphasize her already nicely colored facial features. 

Back at her room, she chose a dark, red fan made from fluffy, large feathers --- it would help make dance moves more interesting. For the rest of the remaining hour or so, she cleaned the room, as it seemed that the former occupant had been gone for quite a while. 

When noon came, she set out to the Mother's room. Once there, Mother complimented her natural beauty, and said that Kagome was to perform right away. She led her new "daughter" to the main dining area, where the stage was. Announcing the arrival of Lady Phoenix, she left Kagome to start her dance and singing. 

Kagome chose to sing a happy native song, for the weather today matched the song perfectly. As she sang, her movements took on the roles of the water, the birds, the willow branches. Her fan dipped and flew, opened and closed, timed perfectly with the words. She remembered to keep a smile to her face, to please the customers and maintain the cheery mood of the lyrics.

** ** **

"My dear guests, today we have a newcomer! Her name is Lady Phoenix, and she's a dancer."

"My, Mother! And a beautiful one, at that! You always manage to get the best, eh? Wouldn't you say so too, bro?"

"Aye, I just hope she entertains well!"

"Not to worry, I guarantee you that she will keep you interested. If not, you get to stay the night with any one of the ladies who are available!"

"I'll take yer ward fer it, then! Let her song begin!"

"Feng-er, don't let the guests down! I'm off to see to the other guests."

_'Another? I didn't think this place could fit so many brainless girls. _

_Whatever. None of my business anyway. __This is just a place to forget about my worries... at least, until Miroku comes. ... _

_Speak of the devil! He comes again! Every single darn day!!!!' _

"Good morrow, dear friend. How is the wine today?"

"Same as yesterday, Miroku. You should know."

"Still in a sour mood, eh, Inu Yasha?"

"Keh." The young prince replied. From below, the small band struck up, and a warm, sweet voice drifted up to where the two friends sat at the balcony that overlooked the main dining area. Miroku noticed that with each passing word, Inu Yasha's eyes held a disbelieving, hurt look. 

Perhaps it was because this newcomer sounded like someone... but he couldn't put his finger on it. Inu Yasha, however, seemed frozen to the spot, hand holding the small wine cup halfway to his lips, eyes wide. Miroku was too concerned for his friend, and remained seated across from him, watching his every breath, not bothering to see what the singer looked like, as the song continued:

_"... The trees, which hold their green delight, sway in the winds that blow not with might, but with a gentle touch alike a feather's kiss. _

_The sun shines bright, the crops bathing in its light. The children of the peaceful village splash within the river's gleaming waters, play within the old willow tree's arching branches. ..."_

Unable to stand it any longer, Inu Yasha leaned over the railing, taking his first look at the newcomer by the name of Lady Phoenix. What he saw almost made him fall over. 

"_Kikyou?!_ '

**GLOSSARY**

* -sama=lord whoever  
*Mu-ho=Mother-Queen, meaning that she is the Queen, and the speaking person's mother  
*hentai=pervert  
*youkai=*sigh* you should know, but anyhow, it's the equivalent to demon/monster/and such  
*Feng=phoenix (in Mandarin), kagome's name at the brothel  
* -er=suffix used to indicate closeness or fondness(but only an elder talking to a younger can use this, or a really close customer to a lady at the brothel. And I mean REALLY close. Of course, if one of the Ladies allows a customer to call her that, it is fine as well). Somewhat of a "dear."  
*jie or jie-jie= elder sister (mandarin)  
*Keh=feh, And such. I like 'keh' better though ^_^

AN: There you have it! Chapter two. I'm really sorry no action has come along yet, but it's coming!! Very soon! I know that I'm a very detailed person, so if, when you read, you feel that the descriptions should be cut shorter, tell me so! I wouldn't want you to loose interest on the whole story because of the way I write! And I DO NOT OWN I.Y. & CO.!!! Whatever gave you that silly idea, hm? So tell me what you think!


	3. Chapter 3: First Good Deed

**Chapter 3: First Good Deed**

Prince Inu Yasha was shocked. He was frozen to the spot. He was practically having a heart attack. He was remembering and drowning in the past. He was staring at the girl he loved. 

The girl who betrayed him. The girl who nearly killed him and his family. 

In a sense, she _had _killed the young prince. His soul, happiness and emotions died of a broken and betrayed heart, of sadness, anger, and hopelessness. 

There, below the balcony, on the stage dancing and singing, was the one girl he loved--- Kikyou Mitawaki. Yet, it was impossible. 

_'She's dead. She has to be! I saw her die! I saw the guards take her down, stab her to death. I saw her blood pooling on the marble floors, her lifeless eyes that stared into nothing, her pale face. I heard her promise to get revenge... Revenge... is that her ghost, her soul, here to take my life? Is it really her? Can it _really_ be her?'_

_'Oh. My. God. That's Kikyou! How...Why... I thought she died! I was there, with Inu Yasha that day. Her words were so cold, so fierce, so evil, promising to finish her mission. I don't sense anything out of the ordinary...no souls...no ghosts...nothing. It's like...Kikyou's...alive...But, how can that be?...' _Miroku, having noticed Inu Yasha's state of staring, had followed his gaze and also saw the girl on the stage. 

For the remainder of the song, the twosome sat there, leaning over the balcony, straining their necks, almost decapitating themselves in the process, but they didn't care. They had to get proof that this was or _wasn't_ the Kikyou Mitawaki they knew once. The girl that worked as a maid in the King's honored household, secretly planning to kill and assassinate every one of the King's high family.

Unfortunately, at the end of the song, as the guests cheered, clapped and toasted to the newcomer that went around pouring wine for them, there was not a single hint of the answers they searched for. Right now, they saw her as Kikyou Mitawaki.

** ** **

"Mother, what is the background of this newcomer you house?"

"M'Lord Inu Yasha, you know clearly well that I do not question my daughters of their personal life when they come into my house. I'm afraid you'll have to ask Lady Phoenix yourself."

"Lady... Phoenix... I see, bring her up. The Prince and I will question her."

"Um, forgive me for being nosy, but since this involves my daughter, what might you be intending to find out?"

"Cut the crap, bitch. Do as Lord Miroku says and bring the girl up. _Now_."

"Y-Yes, M'Lord..."

The two Lords sat quietly together, dreading the worst of what might come, their minds making up dozens of answers; from the logical and expected, to the far fetched and completely impossible.

"You called for me, M'Lords?" 

"What's your name?"

"Honored Prince, my name is Lady Phoenix."

"Not that name, girl. And don't play your games of sweetness and service with me! I demand to know your sur name, name and the name of your hometown!"

"Inu Yasha! Calm down! You're scaring the people here!"

"I- don't- care!"

"M'Lord, what kind of monk are you?"

"Ex_cu_se me?" Miroku raised a questioning eyebrow as InuYasha huffed and crossed his arms.

"Are you a monk of forgiveness and mercy, knowledge and sharing, or a corrupted, deadly and ill-mannered monk?"

"I am a monk of forgiveness and mercy, knowledge and sharing. Now, will you ple-"

"What kind of lord are you?"

"My lady, will you please focus on-" Miroku's brows were beginning to furrow, and InuYasha's twitching eyebrow wouldn't be helping matters anytime soon.

"Miroku! Teach her her place for talking back to us! I'm getting annoyed. " Just as expected, an outburst from the oh-so-might Prince. 

"... Inu Yasha, in order to do punish her, I must judge her- I cannot just lay the whips upon her back. I am currently judging her."

"What is there to judge? She spoke rudely to and interrupted a prince and lord! Is that not enough of a crime for a commoner? Much less a girl working in a place such as this? Are you a lord of an entertainer, or a lord of the royal family?!"

"My point exactly. Lord Miroku, please answer: what type of a lord are you?"

"Hah! Like that's hard to answer! You truly are a stupid human. Hmph. I'll let Miroku have some practice with his debating skills, and see how long you last. Oi, Miroku, are you a lord of an entertainer or a lord of the royal family, hm?"

"Of course I'm a lord of the royal family!"

"Then there's nothing to argue about, Lady _Phoe_nix. Ha! Miroku, hurry up and teach her a lesson if you truly are what you said you are."

"Ye-"

"Lord Miroku! Are you a lord of Parents*, or a lord of the royal family?" (*a lord of Parents-a lord that is "parent" to the people of the kingdom. This is more important, to a good and true lord, than to be a lord of the royal family)

"... I am a lord of Parents."

"Are you honest to my question or not?"

"You have my word, Lady Phoenix. I am a lord of Parents, and I very much cherish my people."

"You lie."

"Miroku doesn't lie when he gives his word!"

"If it isn't he that lies, you both lie."

"How is that, bitch?"

"Inu Yasha, I rather like this argument. May we continue and then deal with her punishment?"

"Whatever."

"Then please let her explain."

"If he were truly a lord of Parents, he would not have agreed hastily to 'teaching me a lesson' solely due to the request of a member of the royal family, but would have respectfully argued to continue his judging. Second, he wou-"

"The hell? Who're y-"

"I don't ever recall it being pr_in_ce-ly to interrupt one's explanations. Especially in court."

"Inu Yasha, I hate to admit it, but she's right. Though this ain't a court, it holds the same significance right now, as we _are_ judging."

"Keh."

"Con_tin_uing, Lord Miroku would not be a lord of Parents, as he is doing nothing to stop the guest on the balcony across from us to stop forcing the young servant girl." To emphasize her point, she elegantly pointed her finger across the clearing where the stage on ground level was visible, to the struggling 13 year old servant girl who was currently being stripped of her outer clothing, her mouth gagged and bleeding from a slap when she rejected the youkai customer. 

The youkai's companions laughed and cheered the snake-like creature. Their slaves, nicely built and well fed, clad in black shirts, pants and boots, a red silk sash tied securely at the waist where katanas were safely and conveniently kept, stood not far behind them in a wall-like formation, cutting off any help for the girl and anyone from entering and disturbing their masters' fun. The crossed arms, legs apart, sneer on face and glare in eyes were and added plus to further discourage any trespassers. 

The threesome, aside from the daughter of the Phoenix Clan, were so absorbed in their little debate that they had not heard, with the demon ears they had, the whimpers and choked sobs of the frightened girl. As Miroku turned his head and looked back at the newcomer of the brothel, he was surprised that the previous sharp-tongued female arguer now had anger and pleading in her emotional blueberry colored eyes. Anger towards the bastards that toyed with the innocent girl, and pleading towards him to help the girl. 

_'This girl,... is nothing like the timid, calm and calculating Kikyou. They cannot be the same people. This girl has a heart of righteousness and love. Kikyou had one of hatred and hidden plans of suffering.'_ With a curt downward motion of his head, he turned and strode to the opposite side of the second floor, following the building's frame-like formation. 

It was then that he noticed the joking and cheering faces of the other youkai there. It disgusted and saddened him to know that youkai such as he could be so heartless to innocent children. Though this girl was eligible to be married off, she did not deserve to be robbed of her pureness and happiness. He also noticed that she did not look to be a serving girl in the brothel. Another point goes to why he should stop the hideous troublemakers. If she were part of the brothel, it could be argued that they could be let alone to do whatever, but if not part of the brothel, it was a snap of the fingers away to kicking out the snakelike creatures. 

With his demon hearing, he could hear the soft footsteps of Lady Phoenix. It was odd, though. Her steps were much lighter than a normal person's. Even that of a dancer. It was like she too, knew martial arts. He was curious, but he wanted to stop the group ahead as soon as possible, so he decided to ignore the nagging feeling. As he neared, his anger boiled, but he managed to conceal his emotions and keep his face one of superiority and calmness, wise and full of strength However, the anger traveled and shot out of his grape-violet colored eyes, scorching the slaves and making their boldness waver, then back down whimpering and flinching from his path. 

Inu Yasha had stayed at the opposite side, so it was just Miroku and Lady Phoenix, though he wondered what she was doing. One of the personal slaves, looking up from an offered feel of their squirming victim, saw Miroku's approach and straightened, then leaned down to announce the arrival of the royal advisor. In turn, the other personal slaves noticed and also informed their maters. Much to the slaves' distress, the masters paid no heed and continued to stroke and grab. Glancing at the glaring lord, they hastily bowed continuously, eyes on the approaching monk, all the while whispering pleads to the masters to pay respect so that they might go home body fully intact and breathing regular. 

The demons sneered, hissed and glared, daring them to act cowardly, encouraging them to be bold once more and care nothing of the high-ranking lord now less than 7 meters away. Taking comfort in the masters' confidence, the attitude of being on top of the world and the assurance of being backed up by powerful masters led the slaves to once more take a stand of ground in front of their masters. 

"Stop this show of senseless childish play! Who gave you the right to interfere upon the life of an innocent child and the lives of the people here by doing such a hideous deed? She belongs not to this brothel, and is not entitled to any of you scum bags, I would say."

"Bull! Who the _hell_," jab of finger, "gave _you_," jab, "the right to interf_ere_," jab, "upon the _joy_ of Young _Ma_ster _Gnoa_," jab, "son, of, the, gr_eat_, str_ong_, resp_ectful_, _high_, m_igh_ty, _Lord_ Gnoa?" Purposeful jabs of the slave's finger followed each of the last ten words. Although he was an inch or so shorter than Miroku, he looked up at him with a smirk that said: "And what are you gonna do 'bout that, you worthless piece of crap?" 

Glaring down coldly ten times the amount of when he came, he could only loosen up his composed figure slightly, then turn respectfully to the master of the overconfident slave, head still held up high. Bowing not the least willingly, he stood once again and said through cleanly cut sounds of his deep rich voice: "I knew it not to be you, Young Master of the honored Gnoa family. Though you are of higher standards than I, I must insist that you let be this child." 

The young master glared. 

He hissed, he scowled. "And why, oh-lower-ranking-beggar-of-a-lord, would I, son of the _great_ warrior lord, listen to you? You admit your disgracing stands yourself. Do you think you can order me around? I do what I wish. Muta! Take this dirty pile of rags and throw him out the door!"

"Hai!" 

As the young master turned back to his joyful torturing, the slave signaled approached to push Miroku away from the area, back outside the circle of privacy for the masters. 

As Muta approached Miroku after successfully pushing him and the fuming lady behind him out of the circle, he reached a muscled hand out to grab the color of the monk's purple and black outfit. 

Miroku, his face still a mask, calmly and fluidly grasped the incoming hand with his own right hand, in a fashion identical to a male helping a female out of a carriage, where Miroku was the female. But, instead of the male helping the lady down, it would also be opposite in Miroku's show of "kindness." The second his hand locked around the slave's, he pulled the opponent's arm to the right of his body in a close arc, snapping his wrist up so that the palm of Muta's hand faced the ceiling of the second floor. Miroku continued the pulling arc further behind him, until the surprised target fell forward toward the Lord. 

As he fell, Miroku's left hand extended in the formation of the eagle claw---fingers bent at all joints, crating a crater like area of the palm, palm down--- and captured the wide-eyed human's neck in a death grip in the space between the index finger and the thumb, his nails, though blunt like a human's, dug into the fleshy neck enough to cause discomfort and fear of one's throat being torn out. In the fifth second of his movements from the beginning, he easily tossed the rigid slave over the side of the balcony where they stood, all the while not moving an inch of his upper or lower body, except for his arms. 

It had only taken a total of 6 precise seconds to give the human an experience of "flying free like a bird," and when his 3 second trip was over, he found himself with an unmendable hole in his chest, courtesy of a metal chandelier that consisted of ornate spikes and hooks. 

Looking coolly at the remaining thirteen slaves, he dared them to come as one. 

They accepted. 

And they got the truth. 

Lady Phoenix watched as Miroku let a man run right past him by making a 90 degree left turn, then lifting his right hand, guiding the eagle claw formation to the front of the first man's throat while the victim ran past. Though this twisted the monk's arm somewhat, it gave the royal advisor more force when he quickly contracted his hand at the elbow, the victim facing his left in front of him, and continued on to "twirl" the victim's body away in a curt push outward. 

Because of the slight twirl and the position he had changed to, instead of sailing over the balcony like the first to approach, the slave landed horizontally on two oncoming opponents, knocking all three down and unconscious for various reasons. As Miroku was throwing the first slave, the second approacher had already reached him, and his left hand shot out to block the punch thrown, forearms locking where they met. 

As he continued to throw, he tilted his left arm downwards from the upper direction it had been in to lie almost flat in mid air, then proceeded to push the opponent's arm left in a circle. However, he did not complete the circle. When they locked, with him in lead, they reached the opposite end of where it started, arms upright, and his fist shot out, giving the bald headed male a wonderful opportunity to take a breath of fresh air, sailing right through the wood framed windows and onto the street below, where he fortunately landed in a passing wagon of pineapples... but still rendered unconscious due to the wonderful fruit's hardness. 

Lady Phoenix was impressed. Who would have known that such a _monk_ would possess such wonderful skills in fighting? She watched as a high kick directed at the said person's face registered in the mind of the monk, who's position was currently that of a father inviting a toddler of a daughter in for a hug- arms spread out at opposite sides, the ending product of the two throws. Reacting quickly, the Lord lifted his own right foot up to meet and match with the opponent's. The soles met with a dusty "_whap!_" and the red sashed fighter's knee bend inward due to the force of the monk extending his own knee to keep the opponent's away. 

Not _only_ did he keep it away, his extending went downwards, therefore the opponent's knee smashed forcefully into the cliff of the neck, knocking the wind out, and snapping his head back. In the same motion, the suffering contestant was pushed onto his back, where the monk used his foot as a step to somersault into the air and land on the opposite side of the width of the space between wall and balcony. In doing so, his inner force was set into the step--in this case the foot and knee of the fallen fighter-- and the bones of the foot shattered. 

Miroku could have chosen to only use 30% of his inner force on the already injured man, but he was very angry at the lot right now, so he decided that he'd boost his forces to 40%. In this way, he was still giving them mercy. 

Fortunately, the three that had gone down first had remained unconscious, apparently due to the cracking of a skull, awhack in the back of the head, and possibly the broken ribs stabbing into inner organs, as Kagome observed. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw two lunge at her, and pretended to play the girlish, weak, and terrified entertainer- she screamed. 

"_Kyaa_aa!!!!!!" 

Turning his attention to the screaming and singer, his earlier suspicions of her knowing the arts of fighting where burnt to ashes as he went to her rescue. The one that had been thrown out the window before was starting to awake, but the two bodies that landed on top of him gave him another irresistible invitation to Lala Land. The remaining six had learned their lesson. 

Or so it seemed when they backed off in stances that screamed "defensive!" and exchanged glances at one another. 

Miroku watched in amusement, while helping up the trembling dancer and gently pushing her to the side as they drew their weapons; it seemed they were visiting Lala Land even before their pineapple-loving companions. 

His eyes now holding mockery and laughter, he grabbed his own staff from where it leaned at the balcony to his right, and held it horizontally in front of himself at chest level, arm stretched out. When the six rushed him all at once, their blades connected heavily and soundly with Miroku's staff, the gleaming metals sending off icy reflections in the sunlight. From the rush, Miroku had had to change his foot stance, and now he stood slightly bending forward, left foot in a wide step in front of his right, balancing himself while he stood his ground, as well as giving him a secure footing. Smirking, he concentrated on the chi he was passing through the staff. In the next second, the six were flung straight into walls, tables, and a few joining their companions outside. 

Stepping back so that his left foot met again with his right, he proudly dusted himself off, rearranged his robes a bit, and once again marched to the now gaping group of youkai. 

The group cowered before him, and he looked down at them with annoyance plainly written on his handsome face. Scowling, he grabbed the young master by the collar of his clothing, and punched him square in the face, still not letting go. When the spoiled demon son's head came lolling back to face him, the blood from his broken nose had traveled to his mouth and tainted his dirty yellow teeth red. 

Pulling his face towards the whimpering younger one's, Miroku hissed: "Although you are of higher rank that I, I'll not stand to see innocent people injured because of your stupid foolishness!" With that, he flung him over the edge of the balcony, the bloody creature landing with a sickening thud. 

Turning calmly to the group backing away, he waved his hand dismissively towards the stairs, where they scurried down and out the door, bowing their heads as low as possible as they passed. 

During this time, Lady Phoenix had already calmed the little girl, who at the moment was clutching onto the front of the newcomer's shirt front, whimpering and shaking, staring fearfully at Miroku. As the aforementioned monk bent down to examine the girl in Lady Phoenix's lap, reaching out to pat her head, the girl seemed to think that Lady Phoenix would somehow become a hole and swallow her up, away from the strong monk--sqeezing her eyes shut, tears flowing freely, whimpering, and stuffing her head into the older girl's chest. 

"Let her recover a bit from the shock first." Kagome said, tightening the embrace that comforted the sobbing girl.

Nodding, Miroku sat down across from the two, already back to his normal perverted self, and started looking at Kagome in places she really did not approve of. Glaring across the table at the "thoughtful" (what a good word to describe it) monk, she soothed the relaxing girl by singing a short nursery rhyme while rocking back and forth. As the crying stopped, she tried her best not to mind Miroku's ever-growing smiles at her: 

"Are you better now?" The little girl nodded. "What are you doing at a place like this?"

"Papa works 'ere, an' Mama tol' me ta give'im his lunch. She couldn't do it 'cause she's sick. Papa's workin'ere so 'e can get money ta pay fer the money we're borrowing for medicine. They say 'at if Papa don't pay 'em quick, they gonna skin my baby sister alive an' burn our house down..." Breaking into a new set of tears, Lady Phoenix continued to soothe her. 

Unable to stand it any longer, she said: "My _Lord_, if you drool anymore, I'm afraid you'll flood the entire kingdom." 

Chuckling sheepishly, he nodded, regaining his posture from the previous slumped form he was in when "observing." 

"Where's you're Father?" he asked the girl.

"M'Lord, he's the room cleaner for the second floor. I dun know where he is right now'ough." Nodding again, he called a guard over and told him to summon the room cleaner for the current floor they were on. Once he was found, the reunited father and daughter cried for a bit, thanking the monk and Kagome repeatedly after the little girl retold what had happened in between sobs. 

Apparently, the people that the debt was owed to was that same demon as the one that had been assaulting the little girl. Fuming, Kagome made a mental note to torture the demon before killing him the night she went to end his life. Miroku liked the way this female entertainer stood her ground for things she knew was right, and so let her off the hook this once, making the annoyed Prince fume at having to look at a girl who so resembled the one he loved every day he came. 

** ** **

That night, Kagome slipped out of her day clothes, and switched to her night, black fighting clothes. As she wound all of her hair up into a bun, she put on the black cloth handkerchief that acted as a mask for the lower half of her face. Then she put on the thin black cloak she used to travel at night in (not the thick traveling one) and draped the hood over her head, hiding everything else. 

Finally, she took her bow and full quiver, sword and daggers and placed them comfortably where she preferred them- bow and arrows slung onto her back and buckled securely, sword in her left hand and daggers in her boots, sleeves, and various other places. 

Once ready, she double checked, then blew out the candle and swiftly leapt to the roof of the brothel, where she traveled. Leaping from roof to roof, she carefully located and followed the streets and roads that she had found and memorized from a map during the day. Reaching her destination, she made several short leaps to land on the taller roof of the Gnoa mansion. Peering down at the main courtyard, she saw several guards walking their routes with torches or lanterns in hand. Silently fast walking to the inner courtyard, she waited for any sign of which way the young master's room was. 

Luckily, the young master himself, drunk and arm around a personal whore, stumbled into plain sight, heading towards the bedrooms to the east. Stalking quietly, she watched as the staggering two made their way inside, the female talking sweetly into his ear, sucking up so that she could get more gifts. After a while, the candle was blown out and moaning could be heard. 

Rolling her eyes, Kagome dropped a small pebble from her pouch of pebbles, onto the ground below. "Using the rock to ask for directions." It was an old trick for night travelers such as she. Hearing the clatter of the stone hitting water, she smiled at the success of such a small test. Now that she knew there was water below her, she would not jump from here. Moving silently along, she stopped a few meters away from her previous location, now on the roof right above the window. She repeated the process, and learned from her pebble friend that it was safe to land. 

Landing as a black shadow outside the window, she carefully drew her sword, making the usual quiet _"shing~"_ sound. Counting in her heart, she broke through the window and stood with her sword at the demon's neck at three. However, the slight pause was only for the sake of making sure she had the right person. Once the victim was confirmed, the blade would be drawn back and the target dead. The whore screamed the entire time, but Kagome paid no heed. 

Luckily, the woman's screaming did not drown out the sound of thundering feet. Leaping up, Kagome broke through the roof and ran, hearing shouts around her that signified that they had seen her. Demon slaves leapt onto the roof in front and behind her, all armed. She stopped mid stride, her left foot in the air behind her, and immediately ducked a swing of an axe, falling forward. As she did so, her left foot shot out, knocking away the one behind. Jumping back up, Kagome made a swing with her blood stained sword, chopping off the head of axe-man. 

_"Whhhooouup!"_

The sound of an arrow echoed in the air, and Kagome felt the wind near her ear grow cold for a few seconds. Cursing in her head, she urged herself forward, mindful of the whips, knives, swords, and arrows coming her way. Finishing off the remainder on the roof, she located the archer, hidden in the bushes below. As she leapt for the outer wall, she turned around in mid air and shot her dagger.

The dagger had done it's job, catching the archer right through the throat, but so had the archer. Kagome winced as she landed on the roof that lined the mansion on her back. Rolling quickly to her feet, she pulled the arrow out of her shoulder, she then ripped a piece of cloth from the sleeve, tying it around her wound to prevent blood loss. Sheathing her sword, she hurriedly made her way back to the brothel. Unfortunately, she was unable to give the bastard a painful death, thanks to the screaming woman.

** ** **

"My son was murdered last night, Your Majesty. I am very concerned about this matter."

"Yes, of course you would be. He was your only son."

"Not just that. The assassin was a human female, that much we could tell. We were unable to track her, though she was hurt."

"Oh? Did she use gas to disable your noses or something?"

"No, Your Majesty. She _has_ no scent."

"No scent? That cannot be possible. Even if she covered her scent on the outside, she cannot cover it when she bleeds! It's impossible!"

"Apparently, it isn't."

**GLOSSARY**

  
*youkai=*sigh* c'mon! You had it last chapter!! It's the equivalent to demon/monster/and such  
*chi=inner force, otherwise known as ki in japanese...I think... 

AN: Oh, yay! Chapter three! I'm not really satisfied with the slow pace at which my story is going though. But I've made a decision- next chapter you will have a) your answer about who kikyou is; b)Kagome kicking more ass; c)Intro to Sango! Also, I realize that you may think that the rating is a bit low, but let me say something first before you review and complain: If you actually read or watch Inu Yasha (which i suppose you do), then I personally think that the rating is fine. If after that you still think otherwise, then fine, review and complain. As well, I hope I haven't confused anyone by using different types of ways to address people, for example when I switched from "entertainer" to "dancer" to "singer" to daughter of the Phoenix Clan" for Kagome. I sorta picked it up from a really good Greek Mythology book. I thought it sorta gave variety. Sorry again if I did! As for character in character, let me see... right now, Inu Yasha is acting like when he found that Kagome had seen him and Kikyou together-book 18, episode... I dont remember...- he is depressed and sad, yet still with his tough guy mood. Kagome is more outfront in terms of less scared of things like... like... um... *light bulb lights up* like youkai! yeah.... hm... i think Miroku's ok...

anyhow, thanks for reading! I'll try to get th next chapter out next week, if i get enough time to work on it. Bye! And now I'm truly _begging_ for reviews or emails! ~__~

Disclaimer: Go find the definition for _fanfiction_.


	4. Chapter 4: Kikyou Mitawaki, Maid of the ...

**Chapter 4: Kikyou Mitawaki, Maid of the King's Household**

Since the first day he had met the mysterious Lady Phoenix, Inu Yasha had been restless. He continued to go to the House, and every time he went the only person he would allow to serve him would be her. Over the next two weeks, he felt comforted by her flowery scent, not as overpowering as the other females, but soft and gentle. While he hid away in the brothel, his father was worrying over the kingdom. 

The mysterious, female, scentless assassin had struck again, and many times more at that. All the victims were those that were evil to the people, unloyal to the king or criminals. At first, they had thought that the killer would only kill demons. They were wrong. On the fifth day after the first kill, a group of human thugs were found headless in their meeting house. The heads were staked on tall poles, situated in the most dangerous parts of the capital, warning others to follow the right path or meet a gruesome end. So far, a total of 32 people, 18 that were human, were killed. Although the loss of these criminals aided the King, it was still unnerving to know that such a powerful human was roaming the streets. Rewards had been posted, but no picture could accompany the posters, as the assassin would strike at night, obscuring view. Accompanying the kills, the money that was possessed by the victims would be partially taken, later to be distributed to the ones that needed it. Because of this, the people of the capital named this black figure The Black Shadow of Light. Light for the needy and misplaced prisoners(which she had also rescued a few), and Black Shadow within the nights that she haunts. 

For the youkai, they hissed her name as the Angel of Death. They rumor that she is of an angelic beauty. (AN: I say, in a sense, they were right.) They story-tell of a beauty that kills upon sighting of, that tears her victims apart like a starving lion. As the rumors spread, so did the lust or want of the demons for this mysterious huntress. Some boast that they will tear her virginity--if she was--away. Others claim that they have spoken to the Shadow. None of this, and many other things, escaped an ever smiling Kagome. She would serve the Prince, talk him out of his miseries and foul moods (much to the monk's amusement), and still she would keep an ear open for more victims and other news. She laughed in her thoughts at those that tried to break the question of why the Shadow was scentless. She wondered when they would finally find out.

** ** **

He walked the halls in his formal robes, sulking at the fact that he was not to leave the estate premises today. His parents were the royal King and Queen, yes, but they all---the whole royal family--- had their own tastes. His great father loved his human mother. His human mother loved an estate to live in rather than a castle(the reason for the estate that was as large as a palace). His older half-brother Sesshoumaru loved to be cold and cunning. He himself loved his freedom of choice, which was very restricted, as he was a prince. Today, though, he hated it the most. More accurately, he hated these type of days. These type of days came once in a while, much to Inu Yasha's relief. Yet, when they did come to grace the young prince with its tight formal clothing and boring meetings, squealing, chattering, witless ladies and formal addressing, they lasted for at least two weeks. This one, was to last for three. 

He scowled again and finally reached his best friend's room. Inside, he found his monk advisor sitting deep in meditation. He ungracefully plopped down in front of the now frowning Miroku. 

"Don't you ever knock?"

"Only on my parents' doors."

"Gee, thanks."

"No need to thank me."

Sigh, "What do you want? I'm a bit busy now."

Roll of golden amber eyes, "I'm not blind. I want to know the reason to have this stupid ball and alliance reunion thing."

Annoyed growl, "Bec_ause_, idiot! It is, like you said, an alliance reunion. The participants of our alliance to other kingdoms meet together once a year. At the number of balls and dinners, the leaders are able to make new trades, profits, and marriages."

Deep scowl, "And _why_, might I ask, must it always be in _our_ kingdom?"

"Because your honorable father likes the company and believes it good for his two, less social sons."

Snorting in annoyance, the prince gave a mumbled "Whatever," and walked to the nearby window. He watched as the carriages continued to arrive, as they had been for the last hour or so, and frowned at the ever childish ladies that fanned themselves quickly to prevent from fainting at the sight of their gorgeous estate. Yet another reason to despise the weak demon females. And to think that he would someday be married with one of those brainless twits! Fuming, he slammed his fist down upon the marble windowsill, shattering the smooth black rectangle. Unable to meditate any longer, the man behind the prince stood up and glared at the still fuming prince. Examining the silver-white haired royal member closer, he forcefully turned Inu Yasha around by the shoulders and started folding the sticking-up collar of the formal, white shirt down. Earning a swat in the head in response, he shrugged and invited his guest for a walk outside. He, for reasons that made the prince's eyes roll once again, and the prince, for reasons that involved quenching his thirst for something to do. 

The rest of the day was spent greeting guests at the _gate_, rather than the main hall, as his royal father had found him strolling aimlessly around in the gardens, looking slouched and growling, a low image for a high prince such as he. Inu Yasha's father sent him to the gate, where he would be busied by welcoming the kingdom's allies and trying not to rip apart the annoying heads of the chattering ladies, their fans moving something close to a hundred ups and downs a second. Their perfume! Goodness gracious, his poor, sensitive nose was stating to run from the piercing, intoxicating, musty, _foul_ smells of what was supposed to make them smell _nicer_, not like a builder's armpit. For crying out loud, even the women at the House smelled like fresh air compared to them! Now, more than ever, he was truly dreading the ball. Even Miroku, the lucky bastard, had fled after ten minutes when the greeting started. Though he loved the ladies, their morning perfumes sure were too much for him.

Surprisingly, in the midst of a terrible sneezing fit, a graceful hand gracefully holding a gracefully embroidered handkerchief gracefully wound its way to the front of his face, where he was holding his nose in a desperate attempt to keep out the dust of the carriage of the guests he just greeted. That was another thing he had found out about a particular black haired dancer. She was graceful. Not that Kikyou never was. His eyes flashed in annoyance at remembering that woman's name. Knocking the arm forcefully away, he did not exactly register _who_ was holding the handkerchief. The force of his push had made the holder stumble and fall, though. 

Gasping and uttering sounds of being hurt, Lady Phoenix tried to pick herself up, her hand pressed against a pillar of the gate in an attempt to push off from the ground. Recognizing the pained breaths, Inu Yasha swiveled around, lowering his gaze to the struggling teenager. Stepping forward, he took her arm and helped her up, feeling her shake at his touch. 

"Sorry. I didn't know it was you." Feeling her relax under his grip, he gently let her arm go, allowing her to stand by herself. 

"What are you doing here?" Inu Yasha asked as he watched her hold out the handkerchief once again, though looking a bit tense. He shook his head, rejecting the act of kindness, but his soft posture and gaze told her thanks, as well.

"Don't you know?" at his questioning gaze, she explained her presence. "Your father requested entertainers, and, well, I guess we were the best in town." She said softly. 

Mentally smacking his head, he recalled that it was the truth--his father always requested the women at the House to serve and perform at times like these. The only change was that they were to act and dress properly, not like the sly, teasing, flirtatious females they were at the brothel. Nodding, he rearranged his clothing as he spotted yet another carriage coming. 

"I've got to go prepare."

"Yeah, I'll see you around." Over the time they had spent in each other's (and also Miroku) company, Inu Yasha had found that She was the closest to a friend he had ever gotten. Aside from his only other friend Miroku, that is. The two had gotten somewhat close, though he never admitted what he saw her as. He was too afraid to get hurt, betrayed and lied to again. Once more, the memories of the past replayed within his head, as he greeted guests for the rest of the day.

=========_Flashback_

_'So, name's Mitawaki, Kikyou, hm?'_ Looking at her more closely, he could see, for the first time, the beauty that this simple maid held within her face and figure. She'd been around for about a month, but he hadn't, as usual, paid much attention to her, a maid. Today though, was a drastic change. He had found her in the training room, a target set up, bow string taught and arrow strung, practicing archery. To his surprise, She hit dead center every time He had been curious, and so had decided to watch further and longer before announcing his presence. This did not go as planned. Once again, this long, black haired maid of his family's household surprised him by sensing his demon presence. Gasping and turning to face her young master, She quickly lowered her gaze and dropped to her knees in a pleading bow. He had asked her name, which She had given.

"You do archery?" he questioned the still bowing woman of 19 or 20. Keeping her head to the ground, She hastily nodded.

Annoyed, he walked over to her and demanded, "Get up, woman! Do you use the sword? And this time, answer me while looking. You aren't mindless so don't act like it!" She did as She was told, and slowly whispered her response.

"No, Your Highness. I use not the blades of combat. My father was a priest and a hunter, and he taught me the ways of the bow like he used them."

Giving an approving "Mmm," Inu Yasha began to question her, learning that She too, was quite a lonely person, like him. 

Over the course of a month and a half or so, they became good acquaintances, where they talked about their troubles and opened to each other. His family and Miroku, aside from Sesshoumaru, was happy that he had found _some_one to talk to freely, other than Miroku. It was good for a prince such as he to be more social. 

Then, when they (his family and Miroku, again aside from Sesshoumaru) finally trusted the woman like their own daughter or sister about three months later, Kikyou, who had been upgraded to aid Inu Yasha's mother, attempted to assassinate the royal queen after She poisoned the Queen's food. Luckily, Inu Yasha had passed by and decided to greet his mother good afternoon, and stopped Kikyou. They had tried to capture her, but She was a priestess, and with the aid of her own bow and arrows, had managed to escape the household.

When the Queen was safe and the rage died down, research on her background was done, and they found that She was of the Western Clan. The formal name, was the Clan of the Poison Wasps. They took joy in the suffering of anyone with a status of or higher than a Lord's. With the reputation of killing and punishing many of their people, the Nokihs kingdom was a sure target, though they never really paid much attention to the happenings of the Lawless World, called Jiang-Hu.

Yes, the Lawless World. There were eight great clans and groups: the Phoenix Clan; the Lion Tiger Group; the Wu Dong Clan; the Hua Shan Clan; the Shao Lin Clan; the Hai Sha Clan; Kong Tong Clan; and the Gai Group. The strongest clan and group of the whole of Jiang-Hu was the Gai Group and the Shao Lin Clan. In the four directions and the middle were the famous and powerful Masters of the world of Martial Arts. Some, like the Gai Group, were groups or clans. Others, like the Old Doctor, taught within the family or took in just a couple of students, not in the form of a clan. They consisted of: the centre, being the Founder of the Chuan Zhen Cult, called Zhong Shen Tong; to the North was the beggars, the Gai Group (again) in this order called Bei Gai; to the east was the unpredictable Wierd Man, called Dong Xie; to the South was the wise emperor who became a monk for reasons no one but he and those involved knew, the Emperor, called Nan Di; and to the West was the strange, quick tempered doctor, Doctor Huang, called Xi Du. It was this XI Du's students that had stolen a powerful art and practiced it, forming their own school and teaching it to those with evil in their hearts. The two brothers and sisters (they shared the Doctor as their Master) had fallen in love, and both had evil in their minds. They ran away, stealing the Scroll of Nine Yin. 

Luckily, because the ways of fighting in the Scrolls were so intense, it was divided into two parts, and they had taken the second half. Yet, they practiced, and soon mastered the ultimate secret of the scroll: Claw of the Nine Yin White Bone. It was deadly. Hand and fingers positioned as an open claw, the attacker, after mastering this move, waits until the opponents are lined up, then attacks all at once, the claws puncturing into the heads, poking through the skull and crushing the whole skull structure. This repeats itself in less than five seconds, too short a time for the victims to realize that they have just fallen into eternal sleep. Of course, it is used on nine people. But if one mastered the ability to slay nine in a row, five seconds total in this lethal move, than one at a time would not be a problem. In order to master it, one also had to register high chi levels, which means that aside from this magnificent killer move, the attacker is also well acquainted with combat, and will _definitely_ not go down in less than 200 moves. This, my friends, was being passed down to criminals, evil men and demons, corrupted souls and blood lusting minds by the too in-love runaways, forming a school, the aforementioned Clan of Poison Wasps.

Upon news that Kikyou was from this Master-digraced clan, the whole kingdom began to worry. It would not be hard for Kikyou to return to her disrespectful Masters, explain her failure, and drag back the whole school of corrupted martial artists to avenge their brothers and sisters of the school. It was not very good news to the ears of the royal family, and they prepared for it. Strangely, after a whole month of tense and alert guarding, nothing had happened. 

"If nothing happens, it means they are waiting for us to slack off and then they will charge all at once. We will not allow that. Keep the patrols as they are now until _som_ething happens!" King Inuzhao had angrily stated. They had been discussing it, and the Chief of Guards had requested that his men have longer breaks and less ground to cover. He had suggested that maybe they had let the kingdom and its leaders off the hook since nothing happened, so his men should be able to resume the normal patrols.

Another month of no events passed again. Finally, the bells of alarm were rung and shouts were heard in the eastern side of the estate. Kikyou had come back. And She had brought her Master's husband, the Father of her Clan, with her. His name, as they later found out in a "pleasant" duel between him and Prince Inu Yasha while protecting the Mother of the Kingdom, was Naraku.

In the end, Naraku had fled, unable to take on the hundreds of people and weapons, and left Kikyou to finish it off. She too, had mastered the lethal move, and was using it, rapidly killing off the guards. Then the arrows that delivered her life to Hell's open doors flew into her flesh, piercing her skin and breaking her bones. she fell, and down came the spears and swords. A loud, shouted command stoppd the persistent stabbing, and the commander, Inu Yasha, stepped forward. From her last gasping breaths, he learned the truth about the one he had fallen in love with. The actual killer and cold hearted woman that wanted only to kill him and his family. She lay, her beautiful, silky black hair fanned out around her sprawled body, both soaked in blood. Her blood. The people's blood. Inu Yasha's blood. The King's blood. She had laughed as she left this living world. Her cruelness a deep, chorusful sound that echoed in the halls: even with her last breath, she made herself known to the world, ushering the air in her lower abdomen to come out in her laugh, ringing in the ears of the people within the radius of 10 kilometers. 

At the pained, sad and flushed face of the young, second prince, the household comfirmed their suspisions: Inu Yasha had loved Kikyou. (AN: he was also pained because her stupid laugh hurt his poor ears.... ^.^` ) 

=========_End Flashback_

** ** **

Night again. While helping around, Kagome had made a list of the bad-hearted lords. But she would not kill in this household. She respected this kingdom's leaders. They cared for their people, not like what the other kings and queens did, sitting o ntheir jeweled thrones with their jeweled crowns, noses pointed into the air so that those that kneeled, the whole room at that, would be able to count thier nose hairs. No, she wouldn't kill those that were evil but lived temporarily in the King's safety, oblivious to what would happen to them soon. She would keep track and observe. For those that were permanently in the estate, she would tie them up and leave a note, stating the guilts and crimes of the person, and let them decide themselves how to deal with it. She will give them the respect they deserve. Of course, she found Prince Sesshoumaru, heir to the throne, to be quite the opposite. But opposite as he was, he did not trip himself over long, dirty-due-to-the-length robes that soaked in puddles or dusted the floors for the servants. He did not kill or take like he felt like he would kill anyone who diobeyed his orders. He merely cared not for what was around him. All he did was be a prince, minus the smiles and heavy robes and such. On a scale of snobby, selfish royals on the left and gentle, king royals on the right, he would be smack in the middle. And, she vowed, if there was trouble or threat to the family, she would protect them.

So she stayed indoors tonight, wishing to get a full night's sleep. Guess what. Her fairy godmother didn't exist, and she didn't wish upon a shooting star, much less a star itself. Therefore, her wish was not granted. In the middle of the night, the shouts of "Assasin! Assassin!" woke her up. Her first thought was _'Ohmygoodnesstheyfoundmeout!!!'_ But upon calming and listening intently, the shouts were heard coming from the east of the estate grounds. She had vowed. And she would do it. Slipping into her night clothes, she grabbed her weapons from the wall of the chimney(she made a hook in the chimney thing of the fire place since she wouldn't use the fireplace, and kept her weapons there. Luckily, rooms were first come first serve for people like her, and she chose a small room that only fit for one person, therefore using it as a excuse that she couldn't share with any of the others.) and silently slipped out the window, travelling on the roofs like usual, to the place where the shouts sounded the most.

"Protect the Lords! It's the Angel of Death!"

"Don't let her escape!"

"She's here! She's here!" Shouts such as these were heard. Recognising this particular rooftop to be part of where a Lord from the North was staying. He had been, according to Kagome's mental lists, forcing and assaulting the maids, boasting about how he hunted the humans in the forests rather than the deer, and how he liked to torture little children by making them watch their parents' deaths before punishing them, then throwing them into the forest to later be hunted.

Wondering who it could be, she scanned the area for the royal family while still hidden in the shadows. She spotted them on the farside of hte crowd, all present and acounted for. _'Well, now I don't need to worry about one of them popping up and distracting my concentration.'_ She spotted the female attacker in black, clad in the same style of clothing she herself wore. She realised, as she watched the other fight, distinguishing her level of combat, that the teenager was also from her clan. Who could it be, though? It didn't really register until the oversized boomerang headed towards the family she had vowed to protect. She was so occupied in observing her unknown sister of the school. When she saw it heading to them, she immediately leapt down, in fron of the royal group, and caught the boomerang the way it was meant and designed to be caught. 

Gasps. The thoughts in their heads practically became shouts of bewilderment. They were thinking about the word 'Two.' The female on the roof stopped. Then she drew her katana, hidden at her waist by her cloak, and leapt down to ground level. The crowd parted, froming a circle. Throwing the boomerang to the side, Kagome, too, drew her sword. 

"That's not the Angel of Death! the latter one is!"

"The Black Shadow uses a sword, not a katana!"

"It's going to be a duel!"

"Quit shouting! Let's see what happens!"

"Hey! Remember to protect the hosts, you stupid human slaves!" of course, everyone, even the hosts, were too engaged in the scene before them to do anything.

The imposer stiked first, slashing her sword down at Kagome in a flying leap. Kagome did not budge. She stayed fixed to her position in front of the royal family, bringing her arm up to blck and push off the slash. The sound of screeching metal coud be heard, but in the next second the imposer was stumbling back one too many steps. These retreating steps continued until she was on the other end of the wide, ten meter diameter of the circle. This proved that Kagome's chi and ability had already surpassed far more than the imposer's. If the imposer was of or clase to an equal level as Kagome, she wouln't have stumbled, much less all the way to the other end, unable to stop herself. 

Bringing her sword down to chest level, the tip pointed up diagonally up, Kagome remained spechless, though her stance told what she sad not: "Leave or I'll be forced to fight and harm you." The imposer, too, said nothing.

"Why do they not speak?"

"Idiot of a slave! If they do, their voices will be remembered by those who hear it! Then they can be identified. Don't you ever use that brain of yours?"

"...Oh. Sorry Master."

A few more seconds ticked by. the two females remained motionless. Then, sheathing her katana, she walked in the direction of her discarded boomerang. Knowing that even idf attacked by the imposer she could win easily at hand to hand combat, Kagome, too sheathed her sword. As soon as her hand returned to her side, the imposer attacked, aiming a punch at Kagome's face. Dodging to the left side a bit, Kagome raised her own left hand to block the punch with her left forearm, then proceeded to place her own punch in the stomach of the other girl. Hunching over and clutching her stomach with her left hand, the katana user attempted to press Kagome's pressure point in a reflexive defense move. The pressure point she aimed for was the paralyzing of the lower half of the body, at the waist. Acting quickly, the duaghter of the Phoenix Clan grabbed the girl's approaching arm, and with the help of her chi, threw the girl back to the other side of the circle. Kagome once again took the a stand in front of the royal family. The other girl was quite good, not as bad as Kagome had thought, for in mid air she had turned her body so that she eventually landed softly on both feet, though the chi of Kagome continuing to run through her body once more made her stumble back three or so steps before coming to a halt. Kagome had used only 30% of her chi ability for that throw.

Once she regained her footing she immediately sprang forward, to the side, where her boomerang lay. Grabbing it in a rushed but fluent motion, she through the giant replica of a child's toy and the sound of it slicing through the air was silky and powerful. Attempting to grab the boomerang again, Kagome reached out with her left hand, from which was the direction that the boomerang would come at her at. Surprisingly, the boomerang skimmed her fingers and wound around her back, forcing her to enter the circle deeper else risk being hurt. As the boomerang returned to it's master, it was caught and held behind the back. By this time, the imposer's hood had fallen off, and a high, black ponytail tied back by red ribbon was seen, the lower half of the ruby red eyed face hidden from view, once again by a black handkerchief much like Kagome's.

Once more they stood facing one another, one waiting _for_ the attack, the other waiting _to_ attack. The ruby red eyes shifted to look, no, more like glare, at something behind her opponent. Lifting the boomerang, she threw it again in Kagome's direction. Noting that the path of the boomerang did not include herself, Kagome quickly turned to face the royal family, trying to get there in time to prevent them from being hurt. Alas, the boomerang hit its target, swiveling back to its owner's hands, who in turn caught and leapt away. This time, Kagome did not make an attemp to stop her. The imposer had already gone, over the walls and travelling quickly away, when Kagome finally got to the vivtim of the large weapon. Almost sighing out in relief, she turned to examine the members of the family she was to protect. She hoped they were not injured. Unfortunately, the size of the boomerang had not only sliced the Lord that was staying in this wing of the estate, but had also cut into the arm of the Queen. Feeling her anger rise, she clamed herself as much as possible as she watched the King try to stop the bleeding while looking at the remaining female. Calmed, she purposefully walked over to the the quueen, having fallen into her royal husband's arms, and reached out to take her injured arm. A snarl was heard, but it was from two people. One from her son, the other the husband. They sounded so alike and so firece, that it had almost been mistaken as one. Her son leat in front of her and her husband, drawing his katana, the magnificent weapon transforming into its true form, his father's fang. Looking at the Fang in annoyed way, Kagome lightly toughed the Fang's flat blade, and it in turn immediately returned to its smaller state of being. 

For the second time that might, gasps were heard. She had untransformed a treasure that could kill a hundred youkai in one swing, with a gentle carress of the blade! Shocked, the prince stared at his sword for a moment. Then moved his gaze back to the girl in front of him. Then, as if nothing special had happened, he sheathed the sword and flexed his claws.

"Of course! You're human. Keh. Listen, bitch. Take one step closer and I'll rip you apart! And don't think I'm just bluf--"

"Prince Inu yasha! My Royal Majesty! Please, allow Kagome-sama to express her care."

"Myouga-sama! You are the retainer of my second son! How can you say that I should let this dangerous woman near my wife? Though I have said that she is courageous and righteous, I cannot risk the life of my wife!"

"Myouga-jijji! What kind of a _loy_al Lord are you?"

Kagome shook her head when she heard the King's words, and bowed at him while Inu Yasha insulted the small, flea youkai Lord. 

"Please! I knew Kagome-sama's parents, and they were good people! She will not harm us!"

Surprised, she looked closely at the rapidly bouncing flea. She did not recognize him. Then again, she never knew _any_ demons before she came to this capital. Allowing him to defend her in the argument, she continued to stand where she was, silently examining the Queen's wound through the shadow of her hood. 

"...If she meant bad for Your royal family, she would not have defended and saved Your Great Lordships from that other girl. And when she untransformed Tetsusaiga, she could have attacked and killed Your Lordships and the Lady, but she did neither!"

Finally, the King agreed to let her see his wife, though he insisted that he be there. Carrying his wife to their bedroom, he ordered the essentials for tending to her wounds. The rest of he crowd went off to do what they were to do, and Inu Yasha, Miroku, and Myouga followed Kagome and the King and Queen into the elegant chamber.

After the King had lay the Queen down on the bed, he walked over to the inner side of the bed and sat down, grasping his wife's hand. It was not a large wound, but it was infected by the poisonous blood that was conatined within the demon Lord slayed. 

Walking to the bed and sitting down, Kagome gently lifted the unconcious woman's injured arm, ignoring the snarls and growls she recieved. Checking the pulse, she bagan to worry. In her aura, the youkai in the room were able to tell something was wrong. The tension of the five concious people thickened(all others were ordered not to disturb them), and when the basins of water was finally delivered, Kagome turned to the King, who was able to see the front of her figure, and motioned for him to turn around. Confused, he did as requested and Kagome slipped her mask off, letting it hang loosely at her throat. Seeing the opportunity, Inu yasha stepped up, intent on finding the identity of the mysterious fighter, but Miroku stopped him. Glancing at the glaring Inu Yasha and the unmoving Angel of Death, he explained to the prince in a hushed whisper:

"If she trusts that we will respect her privacy, than I say we do not venture on her bad side. Look, she's waiting for you to step back so that she will continue." 

Glacing at the still unmoving form in black, Inu Yasha reluctantly backed down again, though he still growled. 

Nodding though her back was to the two best friends, she lifted the Queen's arm to her lips, where she sucked the black blood out and spat into the first basin of water. Repeating the process many times, she finally stopped when the red color of the woman's unpoisoned bloos accompanied a bit of the black. Using the second basin of water and cloth provided, she washed her and dried her mouth thoroughly, being sure that the woma's blood scent did not linger. Then, she quickly replaced the handkerchief and tied a strip of the white bandaging cloth around the arm of the Queen, right above the wound. It wasn't tight to cut off circulation, but tight enough for bandaging. Once she had that done, she reached into her shirt and took out a vial. Before opning it, she remembered the husband of the wounded female, and tapped him on the shoulder, signifying it to be fine to turn around. He watched in suspicion, as did the others aside from Myouga, as she applied a white, shimmering powder to the wound, smelling of herbs and medicines. after it was thoroughly applied, she finished off wrapping the wound. Positioning the woman's arm under the covers, she nodded to the questioning gaze of Myouga. 

She was thanked by Myouga alone, as the others were still suspicious. She left then, taking a short stroll in the streets before heading back to her room at the estate.

**GLOSSARY**

  
*Jiang-Hu=I made it more understandable by calling it the Lawless World, and included a brief description in the story, but the actual thing is chinese, direct translation meaning River Lake, but it is refering to the free world(think landscapes and such). It isn't exactly "Lawless world," more like the world that the lords and such do not have power over. Hm... like robin hood, i guess, but not outcasts. Just thought I'd tell you.  
*-sama=lord whoever. this time, after kagome's name, it is sorta like a very respectful address... yeah...  
*-jijji-meaning grandfather

AN: ok! you like it? i tried spacing out the paragraphs more. Hope it helped. to those that know about Jiang Hu, any suggestions are welcome. Another note about that: the clans, groups, cults and the five famous jiang hu stuff is according to the wonderfully written kung fu novels of Jin Yung. The only ones i made up were the Phoenix Clan and the Lion Tiger Group. Of course, most of the clans and all is true and existing, but i make my stuff according to what he writes, so i dont have to go and research it. Many of his books were made to movies-Heaven sword and Dragon sabre(yi tian tu long ji); the great eagle and its comapions(shen diao xia lu), and such. They are wonderful. Last note. You are probably confused about the Clan, Group and Cult thing. Well, clan and group dont differ in any way except that they sound better (in chinese), i guess. They are all clans, in english terms. But the clans have their own style of fighting, and the moves are strictly not to be passed down unless it is from a master to a student. The cult thing is the same idea, only i tends to include stuff like being a monk, or guan ren, meaning the type of monk that does everything a normal monk does(eats vegetarian foods, prays, doesn't marry, and such) except they dont shave their hair off. The other type is also like clan. So if you get confused, just think clan.

i wont really be referring to stuff like that much, much to your relief, so dont worry if you didn't really understand. just remember to keep guessing at who kagome is...her _actual_ self, that is. *evil chuckle* 'cause i can assure you that she is not who she seems to be!

one more before i get to the disclaimer-that other girl Kagome fought with was supposed to be sango, if you didn't already guess, and you'll learn more next chapter!

Disclaimer: 99 fanfictions of IY on the net, 99 fanfictions of IY, take one down, pass it around, 98 fanfictions of IY on the net!

Sorry, just thought i'd see what your reactions would be. too bad i cant though!

anyhow the real disclaimer: twinkle twinkle little author, how i wonder how-poor you are, down in-the basement cold to-the bones, like a poor little frozen-apple pie, twinkle twinkle little author, i know you dont own inu-yasha~~~~~ ^.^


	5. Chapter 5: Old Friends

**Chapter 5: Old Friends**

Inu Yasha walked through the quiet courtyard. Last night had been spent by his royal mother's side, caressing her hand and soothing her pained whimpers. The royal doctor finally came half an hour after the Angel of Death left, and was shocked to see that a different type of poison had been applied to the injured Queen.

"The Angel of Death has used a tactic of 'using poison to attack poison', My Lords." 

He had said this, then proceeded to drone on and on about the painful process of the poison, purifying the demon's poison. There were types that were not painful, yes, but because the youkai's poison was so lethal, only one matching or above it would cure. Lord Miroku and Lord Myouga had gone back to their own chambers after guarding the Queen for two more hours. At dawn, the King was found, asleep, next to his mate's bed. The young prince decided to take a walk and nap, seeing that his royal Mother's breathing had already returned to normal, as did her troubled tosses in bed. 

** ** **

Ears twitching, he was wakened by the loud, annoying chatters of children, and he recognized them to be servants in his household. Among the sweat dominating stenches and dirt covered smells, one scent in particular allowed him to win against the argument of to wake and scare the kids awake or to not awake and not scare the kids away, which he was currently debating in his head. He decided to settle down more comfortably, and did so, snow white ears flattening against his skull in an attempt to shut out the noisy chatter, and nose breathing deeper, hoping to catch and keep the flowery, sweet smell he had grown to take comfort in. However, as her melodic voice started up, his sensitive ears picked up, and he listened to the story intently, though still resting his eyes, safely closed behind their tired lids.

** ** **

"Phoenix onee-sama! Thank you for taking us out to the garden! We've been so tired and busy!" A girl of about seven summers bowed to Kagome, arms occupied by her four year old sister Mya and Mya's twin brother Mye.

"Yeah, it's been a long time since Mya has come out to play!" 

"Mye too! Mye too!"

"Tell us a story, Phoenix onee-sama!" A brown haired boy of three cried, and the rest of the group of children, the older sister of the twins being the oldest, agreed readily with exclamations of "Yeah!"; "Ma an' Pa never have time for bedtime storyeee~~~s no mou~~~re~~~~~!"

Laughing lightly at the sparkles in the young children's eyes, Lady Phoenix, her own arms weighed down with two children and another on her back, sat down on a large rock, the children assembling themselves in front of her on the ground. As she waited patiently for the five year old on her back to join the group before her, she mentally noted the position of the young prince, in relation to her and the group of about 12 children.

"Ok, let's see..." Thinking for a moment, she decided on a story that her mother had once told her.

"There was once an old, married lady, and she went to the village to buy some supplies. As she returned home, she noticed three old men with long white beards sitting on her porch. Stepping up, she asked them: 'Good sirs, may I help you?' She didn't know them, but she was a kind old woman. The old man in the middle replied, 'Is your husband home?' She said: 'Nay, but you and your friends must be hungry. Come inside and I'll have broth to keep you warm and fill your stomachs.' Again, the old man in the middle replied, 'No thank you. Here we await for your sir to return.' So the old woman went inside, and when her husband returned, she told him of what happened. 'Call them in, then, my dear, for 'ere have I returned.' As told, she went to the porch and asked for the three old men to come in. Shaking his head, the old man in the middle said: 'Not yet, not yet. Out of the three who here await, only one can enter the house. My name is Success, his Love, and that one's Prosperity. Go tell your man and choose who you'd like to enter this house.' Delighted, the old woman once more told her husband of what happened.

'Call in Prosperity!' the husband cried, but the wife said: 'I think Success.' The daughter in law, upon hearing the news, suggested: 'I think we should call in Love.' Who do you think they called in?"

A chaotic burst of chatter followed her question to the group of listeners, and she put up both hands in the air, to calm the group down: "One at a time, one at a time."

"Mya think Success, because then they can do whatever they want."

"Mye too! Mye too!"

"Atsko believes that they gonna choose Love, 'cause Ma and Pa love each other, and they had me, and they told me that they loved each other, and they said that--"

"Atsko's wrong! Atsko's wrong! They'ma gonna drag Prrrr~~~~osperityeee~~~~~~ in and dro~~wn him with bro~~~~~~~th!"

"No! Min thinks that they go tell Love to come, lock him in the batha-rooma, and then tell Prosperity to come in, and lock him in the beda-rooma, and then call Success in, and lock him in the keeeeet-chun!"

"Min's don't's makes senses!! Lyra's gots answers! Theys goings to's lets Success's ins!!!"

Once again chuckling at the adorable youngsters, Lady Phoenix finished listening to everyone's opinions. 

"Well, in the end, the husband said: 'Let us listen to daughter in law, and invite Love in for dinner.' So the daughter in law went and asked the three men: 'Which wise sir is Love? Please come in.' Love steeped up, and comfirmed his identity. As the daughter in law led Love into the small house, Success and Prosperity followed. Puzzled, she asked Love: 'Did not you say that only one could come in?' Love said: 'When you choose Prosperity, he alone will enter. When you choose Success, alone shall he enter. When you choose Love, Prosperity and Success will go wherever he goes.' So, it turns out that Atsko, Mikatu, Okai, and Fushi were the ones that guessed correctly."

** ** **

Again, there was a load burst of chatter and cheers, and the hanyou, in the tree opposite the estate and to the left of the group, winced at the noise. Giving up on continuing his nap, he turned to sit up, back against the trunk of the old tree he occupied.

The girl with bouncy curls cried out, "Mya wants more! Mya wants more!"

Her annoying twin brother mimicked her actions, bouncing on the arm of their older sister, nearly falling off: "Mye too! Mye too!"

"Mya~! Mye~! Myu~! Time to get back to work!"

"Hai~~~!!! Ma~~~!!!!" Jumping out of their sister's arms, they landed on the ground and ran to their mother, the older sister walking after them. Turning back, she thanked the dancer for the interesting story and fun time away from work.

"Well, guess you kids gotta go too, mm?"

Reluctantly, they left, one after another, after giving their onee-sama a tight hug round the neck. Pretending that she had not noticed the Prince, she began to walk towards the magnificent building.

"Oi! What the heck was that load of crap you just story-told them?"

"That 'load of crap,' Inu Yasha, was a story with a moral."

"Really? What was the moral?"

"Come down from wherever you are and I'll tell you."

"Keh." Following his ---seemingly--- favorite word, the hanyou landed beside her, where she had stopped to talk to the trees, still pretending she knew not where he had been.

Pretending to catch her breath at the shock of him landing next to her from "out of nowhere," she put her hand up to her heart.

"My gosh! Inu Yasha! Do you always jump out at people like that?"

"I didn't 'jump out' at you! You told me to come down so I did! Didn't you know where I was? ...Obviously not." From the look of utter shock on her face, Inu Yasha deduced that this mortal was weaker and less alert than he thought. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well what was the moral, damn wench!?"

"Oh. The moral was, that Love will always bring Prosperity and Success, so cherish those you love and you will live a much happier life."

"..."

"Inu Yasha? Are you o-"

"I'm fine! Leave me alone, its none of your goddamn business!"

"Oh... well then, in that case, I'll see you later. ... Bye... ..."

Sighing, she entered the building and returned to her room, where she practiced her dances. Outside, the prince had once again entered his sanctuary of tree branches, and was sulking about the fact that the moral of the story had brought up the girl he was trying really hard to forget: Kikyou.

** ** **

_'Jeez, what's with these people?'_ Kagome was truly confused. It was the second night of the reunion, and all guests had already arrived. She was on her way to the dining room, where she would serve the Lords and Ladies and sing and dance when it was her turn to go on stage. As she passed the halls, the servants and maids--slaves, in other words to the youkai-- kept staring at her and whispering to each other, the fear of her hung in the air. She could smell their fear as they cowered out of her path. Her sensitive ears picked up syllables of the mutters here and there: "...you..."; "...ki..."; "...west..."; "...pois..."; "...kiky..."

She recognized the name that was repeated over and over. _Kikyou_. Inu Yasha and Miroku had called her that the first couple of times they met. They had told her that she looked very much like the dead maid of this household. The details, though she continually pried for them, were never revealed, and usually ended up with two_very_ moody Lords. As she entered the dining hall, her gold tray with the large bowl of soup safely held in both hands. The bowl itself was about half a meter in diameter, and the tray about a decimeter larger than the bowl. She had pasted on the cheery smile that would allow her to concentrate on analyzing the youkai leaders before she met the waiting doormen of the dining hall. Stepping in, she silently made her way to the left side of the room full of tables. When finally reached the host's tables, she was relieved to see that the Queen had already recovered fully from the poison, and was joining in on the formal occasion. As she set the tray down and proceeded to scoop the warm soup into the empty soup bowls, she was greeted by a shriek and a very threatening growl. Looking up, her smile faded as she watched the King clench his fists, arms protectively around his shuddering mate. Looking over to Inu yasha, her gaze was enough to say what she wanted to ask. 

"Wh-what are you doing here, bitch?! I thought you died!" Her gaze was interrupted by the King's outburst to her. Turning to look at him, the same puzzlement in her eyes, she said: "Your Majesty, I am here to serve you your soup. It _is_ customary to serve the Host before the guests an--"

"Don't lie! Guards! Get this assassin out of my sight before she hurts anyone!" By now, the whole room was filled with standing demon lords, and the word 'assassin' only helped to make them curl their lips up in threatening snarls to their Hosts' defense.

For the second time since she came, the bell of alarm began pounding through her head as the guards pushed their way through the gathering crowd and took hold of her arms, weapons pointed at her chest. _'Ohmygoodnesstheyfoundmeout!!!'_ Truly shocked, she gave no resistance when heavy, cold chains were locked to her wrists. Her mouth opened, then clamped shut, and opened again. At a loss of words, she simply pleaded with her eyes to the frantic hanyou prince.

"F-Father! You're mistaken! She's not Kikyou! Kikyou died a-"

"Boy! Are you blind? She _is_ Kikyou. Just because you love her doesn't mean I'll let her kill my family and destroy my kingdom!"

Giving up, Inu Yasha simply growled at his father, then turned and with a swipe of his claws, the chains came off. Grabbing her by the wrist, he forcefully pulled her in front of his father.

"Look carefully, Father! See the difference! Kikyou's eyes were a cold, smokey gray color that was sometimes tinted hazel. Lady Phoenix's is Gary blue, a blueberry color! Kikyou is cold and deceiving, Lady Phoenix is a... a... is not like Kikyou at all!"

Shaking in the custody of the royal guards, Kagome whimpered, tears of fright rolling down her pale face. As he looked closely, King Inuzhao found that indeed, she was very different in appearance to Kikyou. Still not letting down his guard, he grunted, signifying the release of the teenager. "I... apologize, Lady Phoenix. For compensation, I'll give you half your current amount as a bonus to you for your own use. It is... hard to-"

"I understand, Your Majesty. I am fine, just needing to catch my breath. M-May I please be excused to freshen up?"

"Why, of course!"

"Thank you, and when I return, I'll give you a song and dance in honor of your great reign."

With that, she left, bowing and paying respects to the Lords and Ladies that parted for her to go through. _'That was close.'_ She thought. As she ran down the winding halls that she had already memorized, she sensed someone, a human, following her. This human was quite skilled, as he or she was extremely quiet. If not for Kagome's sensitivity in her ears, a human would not had heard him or her.

Turning a sharp corner, she leapt up the wall and hid where the decorative column met with the ceiling to support the end of the dedicate arc of the hall entrance. Using the magnificently carved nooks and indents as foot holds, her skill allowed herself to seek stability in the placing of both palms flat against the ceiling above her head.

As her follower rounded the corner, Kagome could tell it was a girl. Dressed like a servant, the gleaming neck piece around her throat confirmed that she was indeed a slave of a youkai master's household. The girl paused, feet apart one bore the other, in a defensive stance that suggested easy access to bolting at signs of danger and quick blocks to incoming attacks. Her kimono, a pastel blue color, was made of silk, meaning she worked for someone of high standards. Not recalling her long black hair and ruby red eyes in the household she herself worked in at the moment, she deduced that this girl had come along with one of the Lords or Ladies attending the alliance reunion.

_'Wait..! Ruby red eyes, long black hair--!'_ Growling, she leapt upon her prey, the later not noticing until the skilled fighter's delicate hands wrapped around the back of her neck and her left wrist, threatening to end her life with a mere tap of the dangerous pressure point at the back of her neck.

** ** **

Letting out a near silent "Damn!", she froze. Lifting her right hand slowly into her attacker's plain sight, she waited for whatever was to happen. 

"Who are you? And why are you here? Do you plan to harm the King and his family?"

"No, but I do what you do as well, Angel of Death."

** ** **

Gasping, she tightened her hold on the girl in front of her, hissing out a demand for her to reveal her identification and how she knew who she was. The girl who attacked with the boomerang the night before requested Kagome to release her, so that they could talk properly, assuring that she would not attack or flee. Knowing that this girl's goals were similar to her own, the act last night providing her with evidence, she let the female go, allowing her to turn around and look her straight in the face.

Blink.

Blink.

"KAGOME?!"

"SANGO?!"

Blink.

Blink.

"What...What are you doing here? I thought you went with your mother to the mountains to train!"

"I did, Kagome! But my mother fell ill, and she passed away. Father took care of me. But... he likes to gamble, like you know, Kagome. And he... he lost a great deal of money to the son of a great demon lord. So he sold me and Kohaku to the Lord's son to pay his dept... He got Kohaku back, but he left the city we were staying at once he won a great amount of money from betting. He never came back after that, and so I had to serve in the Lord's household. It's been three years since I last saw them, Kagome, and now, the stink'in creature wants me to be his fregg'in concubine."

"I'm so sorry. I-- Wait, there's someone coming. Quick, up here!"

Leading her long lost friend up to the same corner she had situated herself in, she helped Sango balance herself against the wall. After the patrolling guards passed, Kagome motioned for Sango to follow her. Leading her friend into her room, Kagome closed the door and motioned for Sango to sit.

"So? What're you doing here? When I saw you, I was so suspicious. I was thinking that it couldn't be you, but I just _had_ to know! And what's this? You work in a brothel?!"

"No. Well, yes. I work at the brothel, called the Autumn Flowers House. I work as an entertainer, not as a night companion. I'd never disgrace my Father by becoming one of them."

"Yeah. Hey, what's with the Prince?" As Kagome got up and prepared tea, the older female questioned her.

"Sesshoumaru? Oh, he's just a block of ice, don't mind him." Setting the tea down in front of the ruby red eyed girl, she fished out a nicer looking dress and sash, and started undressing and dressing.

"No, the one that saved you. I think his name was Inu Tasha?"

"Inu _Y_asha. He's just got a hot temper and a low patience level. Don't worry 'bout him, either. Oh, and Sango, please call me phoenix-chan from now on. Even though my hearing is top quality, It's still better."

"Oh. Sure, and you call me Kotori-chan, 'kay? That's the name I'm using. Too bad I didn't think of using yours; it would have been more logical, the Phoenix Clan being my School."

"Haha. Kotori-chan, hm? Well, 'Least it's a bird."

"Um, phoenix-chan, it was you who killed all those bastards, right?"

"Yup. And I'd be careful if I were you: there are Wanted posters all over the capital, and it has your picture too, considering that I made your hood fall off. Sorry 'bout that."

"It's not your fault. You were just protecting them."

"Yeah... but I still feel bad. ... Hey! Now that you're staying for at least the next three weeks, we can travel at night together, and perform together too!"

"Sure! Why not? We used to do everything together."

** ** **

"Sorry it took so long, Your Majesty."

"That's alright, Lady Phoenix. I see you've met Lord Youti's new concubine, Lady Kotori."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I knew here since we were children, grew up together, until five years ago when she left the village with her mother. I request for us to entertain Your Honored Lordships together, as a sort of reunion."

"Very well. Let the dancing begin!"

As the two girls danced and sang, the dinner resumed its course, the girls providing soothing background music to the business affairs happening throughout the dining room. After their turn was over, Lady Kotori stayed on stage, by request of Lord Youti (much to her disgust and lack of luck), to perform a solo song.

The dinner ended, and the dancing started. All guests and entertainers, slaves and concubines were led to the huge, cavernous ball room that glittered with crystal chandeliers and polished marble floors. The light of the candles reflected off the smooth, mirror like walls and illuminated the whole room in a warm and fuzzy glow. Large white, delicately carved doors led outside to the ballroom garden, another of the hundred of gardens within the estate, where ponds and statuettes, benches and fragrant, blooming trees, shrubs and other plants grew in a carefully planned and manicured landscape. Refreshments were set at a long, white clothed table to the right of the garden doors, providing fresh air to those that rested sore feet or felt light headed from the closeness of the crowd on the dance floor. Like any other ballroom, the other walls were lined with fashionable and expensive looking furniture: couches, benches, small tables, vases, potted plants, large framed paintings, chairs; and a lush, oriental looking carpet acted as a walk around the whole room, where inside the lush rectangle would be the activity area and outside it the couches and chairs.

Again, the dances, too, were ended, and the guests filed out to their own respective chambers, where they would sleep a peaceful and undisturbed night.

** ** ** 

"Your Majesty! Queen Helian! I bring unfortunate news!"

"What is it, Heraloumaru the Messenger?"

"Sir Goshitama has been murdered by the Angel of Death! A letter had been left in his blood, saying that he had become prey to she who killed at nightfall because he had given information to Kikyou and Naraku, arranging entrances to and fro from the estate."

"What?! My brother would never do such a thing! Dear husband you must stop it! You know my younger brother wouldn't betray you! For crying out loud what good would it do to him?! He's human and if we did die or met some unfortunate fate he would lose _all_ his power obtained from being my dearest brother and he would be sold as a slave and he wouldn't even be able t--" (AN: she's babbling. no commas are used for a good reason.)

"Helian! Helian! Heraloumaru! Get a doctor! My wife is not fit to receive such a shock! **_Get a doctor,NOW!_**"

"Y--Yes s--sir. As you command..."

** ** **

"Well, doctor? How is she?"

"I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do."

"I don't understand. What are you trying to say?"

"The baby is gone. I'm sorry."

The King tried to push away the tears, but they came anyway. He held his mate's hand, forehead pressed against her backhand, and he listened to the royal doctor in despair.

"She was not fit to have such a shock. She has weakened significantly from her first birth, even though it was seventeen years ago, but I had warned you that she may not make it through a second pregnancy. When I found that she had actually managed to survive and carry the baby after the poison she experienced coursing through her body, I was truly shocked. We should be thankful, in a way, to the Angel of Death, as the poison she used had healing properties as well, and it did well to the baby."

"Will my mate fare well?"

"I cannot say yes or no, as I honestly know not. We must pray that she will return to us safely. She should regain consciousness in a couple of days, as the sudden shock has effected her so greatly it needs much time to wear off. If she is in denial about the situation, it may take much longer, and she may no wake at all. It is possible."

Waving the doctor away after the old demon listed the medicines and the instructions for use of them, the mighty King was left alone in his chamber with his paled wife.

After what seemed like hours of thinking, he summoned his younger son's advisor.

"Myouga. I trust you can solve this occurrence which I wish to be rumored. I want to know the truth of it all, and very, very soon. I trust that you are a wise and righteous lord. Do whatever it takes. If the Angel of Death is guilty, though I do believe that she has been framed, she _shall_ suffer the consequences like any other. If she is not guilty, then I want the killer found immediately."

"Hai, Your Majesty."

** ** **

"Phoenix-chan, do you want to go take a look around the capital?"

"Sure Kotori-chan. Let's get ready."

** ** **

"Sango-chan, we'll have to rely on signals now. No talking from now on."

"Un."

** ** **

Two dark shadows leaked out of the tall, white washed walls of the Royal estate. Traveling on rooftops, they leapt from street start to street end, street end to street start, looking for signs of people in distress. They laughed silently at the Wanted posters of both the shadows.

An hour after trekking the dark streets and saving one old grandfather from a local thug, the taller of the two signaled for the slightly shorter to follow her down to the road. As the blueberry color eyed female joined her friend, she saw curious read eyes scanning a new Wanted poster. How strange. 

Leaning forward to peer over the older girl's shoulder, the Angel of Death scanned the Wanted poster as well.

_"To the Angel of Death. _

_We have received grave news that you are responsible for the murder of Queen Helian's younger brother, Sir Goshitama. We request that you make an appearance within the second week of the Alliance Reunion, to discuss this very important matter. _

_Please come unarmed; we will not attempt to harm you in any way._

_Sincerely, _

_The King and Lords of Nokihs."_

The younger stared at the older, watching the older's brilliant red eyes question hers. Shaking her head, she headed back to the estate, already thinking of ways to break the suspicion of her as the murderer, and ways to make the murderer appear. She noted, her demon-like sense of smell and hearing notifying her, that her friend followed close behind. That was good. She would need a friend to talk to and plan things out. She would also take her friend with her; Sango had been her best friend, and they'd grown up together. After a long time they had finally met, and she would not exclude her from anything she did.

As they reached their room, having shared Kagome's, they took off their disguised and discussed about the letter, and what they would do. It was already the fifth day into the first week of the Alliance Reunion, and they had less than three days to find the identity of the actual murderer. Of course, they _could_ just go and promise to find the true person at fault after proving Kagome free of guilt, but the young fifteen year old's love to the royal family would not allow her to go empty handed. They went to sleep then, after much discussion, and a promise to find out the truth before the third day ended.

** ** **  
Myouga sat in his large and comfortably furnished room. All the furniture and things in the room were normal sized towards a demon in human form, but he did not mind. He liked it this way. Now, he sat in his cushioned chair, thinking about the daughter of his dear old friend.

Yes, it had been a century from the last time he'd seen phoenix demon Fukuma. He had saved the flea demon's life once, when the puny flea had decided to take a slurp of a very fierce dragon demon's blood. Myouga could still remember the way Fukuma and his soon-to-be wife Tanikura fought side by side; lovingly, gracefully. They had been a perfect match of beautifully colored phoenixes, their long, green and blue eyed tail feathers glistening in the sun's rays. 

Although he had not seen the face of the Angel of Death, he could tell by the way she fought, and the aura she gave off that she was their daughter. He knew her name, as he was the one that had ceremoniously bound the two love birds (^.^) together and it was he, too, that was witness to the procedure of the demon mating. In thanks, he had been given the honor to name the child they would have first.

=========_Flashback_

"Myouga, we thank you very much for helping and advising us. In return for our in-experienced-ness, we'd like you to name our first child."

"Mnmmm.... I'm honored to, great Guardian of the Skies. Let me think... Kagome. Kagome would be a wonderful name."

"Yes... Kagome Higurashi. It is truly wonderful."

=========_End Flashback_

**GLOSSARY**

  
*youkai=*sigh* It's the equivalent to demon/monster/and such  
*onee-sama=older sister/way of addressing an older than you female (equivalent to "jie" (chptr. 2)  
*Hai= yes  
*Un=think of it as when you agree (or say yeah/yes) by way of "mm-hmmm". not necessarily japanese, though in jap I think it's "yeah" as well.

AN: Oooo~~! Big cliffhanger there! at least, in my opinion! don't worry, the suspense will build over a couple more chapters, then you'll know the history of everyone in the story! *evil grin* Ummm... i'm very sorry 'bout the interruptions of AN's in the chapter! I try as much as possible not to. As well, anyone who reviews and leaves their email will get a notfication email when the next chapter comes out, so if you dun want one, tell me in your review. I'll also be emailing to say thanx for reviewing(to those that reviewed for the first time), just so you know how much i appreciate them. hmm... what else? oh, yes. my other fic, World's Craziest and Curelist Inu Yasha Pairs will be redone: i am going to literally make a story of it, though i'll keep the format of no one talking except for the very end. So please review or email me at athena_amy@hotmail.com; and a final thanks to those that emailed and encouraged me! Even flames are welcome, pple! i love anything from my readers; i wont get mad, really! (well, only if you DONT review...) Ah, yes. And min and Lyra, did you like your part? #_#

Disclaimer: 

"I'm a poor little girl, on an empty stage,

For ideas to turn the light on.

My life, dear readers, is a fully written page,

That I will continue to write on.

_To write on._

You are no~t Rumiko Taka-hashi,

And I sure-ly am not either,

I trully don't own Inu-Yasha, and Co.,

so please don't sue~~ me!" _from Sixteen Going on Seveteen of Sound of Music. _I dont own that movie or its songs either. *sigh*


	6. Chapter 6: Arriving Early For The Appoin...

AN **MUST READ:::::::**

Okay. I'm VERY upset. NO ONE NOTICED THAT I JUST WROTE THAT MYOUGA KNEW KAGOME'S _**DEMON **_PARENTS!!!!!

if you're confused, here:

you know how i said myouga was saved by **Fukuma**:  
_"Yes, it had been a century from the last time he'd seen **phoenix demon Fukuma**. He had saved the flea demon's life once, when the puny flea had decided to take a slurp of a very fierce dragon demon's blood. Myouga could still remember the way **Fukuma and his soon-to-be wife Tanikura** fought side by side; lovingly, gracefully. They had been a perfect match of **beautifully colored phoenixes**, their long, green and blue eyed tail feathers glistening in the sun's rays."  
_

and kagome's name:_  
" "Myouga, we thank you very much for helping and advising us. In return for our in-experienced-ness, we'd like you to name our first child."_

_"Mnmmm.... I'm honored to, great **Guardian of the Skies**. Let me think... Kagome. Kagome would be a wonderful name."_

_"Yes... **Kagome Higurashi**. It is truly wonderful." "_

_  
_how come everyone missed that???!!! T_T  
but here's where you get confused, so i'll tell you the answer.

1. Kagome's mother, father, younger bro and grampa are introduced to you in the first chapter as HUMANS (which they ARE).

2. the clan consists of HUMANS, and their tactics for fighting are also supposed to be used for fighting HUMANS.

3. Kagome deflected the tetsusaiga, untransforming it. it is explained as "she is human"

4. Myouga knows kagome's parents; they saved him once.

5. myouga flashes back to when he first became acquainted with kag.'s parents, which is when you find out that his version of kag.'s parents are DEMONS.

6. myouga was the one that named kagome.

7. i've often described kagome's hearing and whatnot as highly sensitive, demon like, and so on. keep this in mind as you read on.

*sigh* if anyone has any questions, email me at athena_amy@hotmail.com, or review and tell me. i'll be glad to clarify. if you are really confused, dont wory. you know those mystery books that say one thing, then you find out it's another thing? well, this is it, martial arts+Shadowphoenix style! it's complicated, yes, but trust me, when you find out the truth, you'll say: "Mother of Pearls! that's so cool and absurd and .... wow!!" just trust me on this. 

from now on, my advise to you is to pay attention to every little detail and person, from a beggar on the streets that she passes by, to people's flashbacks of the past, to people mentioned but haven't showed up. 

and PLEASE. any questions, and tell me: i'll answer them, then post the question+answer in the next chapter at the AN's, and i'll put 'em first. don't feel stupid if you dont understand anything. i was making a final web/chart of all the characters, and when i finished, i was tired, confused, and totally hurting in my head. things are just going to get a LOT more complicated as the story goes on, but i'll try my best to make it clear, still maintaining my style of writing. now, onto the story!

**Chapter 6: Arriving Early For The Appointment**

That same night that Sango and I first prowled the streets together, a lone figure — clad in a cape like top that fit around her shoulders, cascading to her knees, a brown feathered undershirt seen through the gap at the front of the cape, and a soft, flowing dress that hid her feet from view — stalked the grounds of a large clearing, her multi-bladed spear in hand. How I immediately knew it was the same night, I didn't know. Thinking a bit, I realised that I remembered the strange dream I had had while unconscious and recovering back in the Clan. It seemed, I concluded, that I would only be able to remember such dreams when I was in one. Therefore, I was currently asleep and in another dream. Why is that not suprising, considering I remember falling asleep? Gee... I wonder. Note my sarcasm, there.

I followed her, floating within the mists that seemed to only exist around me; it seemed that she was looking for something, poking at mounds of dirt in the ground with the end of her weapon, the ribbons in her hair flying in the winds of the mountain she was on. Upon her left shoulder, a curved, elegant image that very much resembled a stalk of wheat contrasted highly with her ivory skin. The tatoo — as one would think of it as— was a dark, charcoal brown in color, and it seemed that there was a glistening to the image that could be found when holding up a feather to the sun's rays. From her mark and her features and clothing, I identified her as a youkai. To be exact, a sparrow demon. But as I look closer, I realise that she had been under the wing of a human master in the arts of spells and curses. A dark miko, no doubt, by the way her eyes glinted dangerously and her robes of a dark nature.

I felt a chill run up my spine as her navy blue colored, slim lips curved up in a menacing snarl, but a triumphant one, at that, though the emotion seemed to differ greatly from the action. For apparently, she had found what she had searched for, spending hours under the moonlit sky. I looked at what had caused her change of mood, confused. Before her, a gnarled, blooming plant spread its oddly colored black petals to the stars, a disgusting, foul, and decomposing odor emmiting from the heart of the marvelous yet gruesome plant. Situated atop a rock, its thready roots sprawled against the rock and the cracks of the rock, it held a promise of death. Whether that death was before or after the sighting of the flower, I knew not.

But she knew, and her demon ears perked up in vicious excitement, her piercing, lemon yellow eyes glinting mercilessly in the pale moonlight.

_'Hmph. Soon, my dear cousins, soon, you will know what it truly feels to be controlled and frightened. I will see to it that you will not live your pointless, stupid, low, pitiful lives as you are now, but that you will live in fear of me. Together with the miko Kikyou and her imbecile of a father, Fukuma Higurashi, I will destroy all happiness in this land! I will be the most powerful demoness, a goddess of all matter!' _

I shivered again at the knowledge that I could hear her thoughts, pounding through my head like a hammer, yet not hurting me at all.

Chuckling hysterically and sneering at the same time, she lifted her spear like weapon to the stars, chanting a spell long lost to others of her species. I, on the other hand, widened my blueberry colored eyes at her as if she were insane. I recognized the spell. A demon spell, meant to resserect the dead. Who, it did not matter, but the fact that the dead was revived did not bode well either way. 

If the person does not become corrupted and turn into a hell demon, then they would be a walking corpse, a zombie. The only possible way for the caster to avoid the two consequences, was if there was one who could purify, and that person must be ressurected _with _the original target. 

No one used this spell anymore, due to the outcomes, and the only ones who did back before the spell was forgotten had made sure to slaughter plenty of innocent priests and priestesses, or other forms of highly pure and heavenly people. This woman, however, either found a grave that held the two required people — the purifier and the target— or was very much overconfident with herself.

I could only watch as she recited the spell, my eyes feeling as if they could roll out of their sockets if I moved another millimeter, and my jaw touching the dirt ground.

"To the East, I gather the Light of Death.

To the West, I call upon the winds.

From the North, I hail thee, great Guardian of Hell, and thee, Goddess of the Graves of Life.

From the South, I worship thee, holly demon of all destruction, guide to all chaos, Hunata.

I call upon the four directions, the fourty four gods and goddesses, the five elements, the fires of Hell.

Lend me your powers to revive the dead.

Lend me your powers to revive the Chaos that once reigned all.

From the Earth spring forth the_ life_ of the _dead_, to walk amongst those that live.

Lend me your powers to revive the dead.

Lend me your powers to revive the Chaos that once reigned all.

From the Earth spring forth the _life_ of the _dead_, to walk amongst those that live!"

In the cloudless night, thunder roared and lightning forked from the peaceful skies. Tornadoes of wind whipped at her clothing, the ribbons in her hair floating nicely around her. As the tornadoes, lightning, and fire that sprung from the earth merged into the mound of putrid soil and rock that the little black flower lived on, a bright burst of ribboned light erupted from the flower, and as the plant slowly split down the middle of its gnarled structure, different rays of different colored lights shot out into the night, like grounded shooting stars of a million colors trying to return to the eternity of outer space. I backed away a bit, feeling some branches of the light and energy wrap around me and then leave. I could have sworn it called my name: _"Kagome..."_

Finally, when the cracking of the plant ceased, the light and energy died down, revealing two life sized paper dolls used to represent to one that died. A female and a male, the male in his true humanoid form, demon ears and flawless turquoise colored hair. The female, clad in a miko's robes, black hair cascading down to mid back of the paper doll. Even though they were made of paper, they both seemed oddly familiar to me; the male as if I was somehow related to him, and the female almost an exact replica, despite the paper, of myself.

Raising her spear to the heavens horozontally above her head, the demoness repeated again:

" To walk amongst those that live!"

A crackle of energy zig zagged and webbed over the two paper dolls, and the paper fell open, revealing a blinking Kikyou Mitawaki and a snarling Fukuma Higurashi. 

But how did I know their names? How the _heck_ was _I_ supposed to know? All I knew now, was that my head hurt and the people I was looking at somehow forced their way into my mind and made a past and present half known to me. By half known, I mean that I am seeing flashes of a past of someone before my eyes. The only thing is, I don't see any of it; it's all going too fast, the swirling motions of the images blurs to my eyes and sources for the headache in my head. I felt like scr_ea_ming. ...

** ** **

Gasping and nearly choking on her unknown fear, Kagome bolted upright from her futon. Sango was next to her, hands on her shoulders, signifying that she had been shaking her.

"Phoenix-chan. Are you okay? You were tossing and yelping in your sleep." Concerned red eyes peered at Kagome, who was still visibly shaking from her outburst. Nodding, she bent her head, trying to catch her breath.

"What was it about?"

"It was so scary. it was about... about..." Confused, she lifted her head to look at the older girl, who encouraginly started to massage her tense shoulders, calming her somewhat. 

"I... I don't remember what it was about..."

Saying it was okay and that everything would be alright in the morning, Sango persuaded Kagome to sleep again. laying in her own futon, she fingered a piece of jade that was looped around her neck via a dark red, thin but strong string. Slowly, she drifted into the world of dreams, a garbled sentence whispered out of her mouth before sleep finally claimed her: "A' miss~~ 'ou, ... Kohaku..." (AN: "I miss you, ... Kohaku...")

** ** **

Inu Yasha watched as Lady Phoenix danced and sang to another traditional song. His cousin was due to arrive today, and tonight was the appointment with the Angel of Death. Time flies by so quickly when you spend your time sleeping in trees or attempting to beat up your half brother. 

It was breakfast now, and after the meal the royal family was to gather outside in wait of the visiting family. Everyone in the court seemed restless and excited, and Inu Yasha nearly choked on his meal more than once from what he heard the Lords and Ladies describe his younger cousin as. 

'**_Cute?!_**_ How the heck can Sui be cute?! She's a pain in the ass, a fucking flirt, and seems to have the idea that me and her are the perfect little couple! ...'_

Fuming already by the time the tea arrived, Inu Yasha ate his breakfast silently, glaring at his food and drink as if they were the cause of all his miseries. Only younger than him by two months, his cousin Sui had had a crush on him since they were eight years old, and her family's monthly visits did not seem to help matters. 

Inu Yasha dreaded the oncoming visit, as his cousin would be staying until even after the alliance reunion. In fact, she was moving in. 

What's worse, her bedroom was next door to his. Speak of Hell on Earth.

The carriage arrived then, and his sensitive ears picked up a high, feminine shriek that only suggested one thing.

"_Aaaaaiiiiii!!!!!!!! _My _dear_est Inu Yasha, darling! How I've missed you so! And _my,_ how miserable you look. I take it that you've missed me too?"

Inu Yasha fought the urge to cover his ears and tell the younger female to fuck off. Instead, he stiffened, dropped on his mask of coolness that his older brother always wore, and proceeded with being as gentlemanly as could possibly be in the presence of a shrieking, blushing, bouncing, and ditzy dog demon. 

The normal events went by, but was longer than usual, as Sui insisted to be introduced to each and every one of the female dancers and entertainers that were hired. After all, if she was to keep Inu Yasha _darling_ to herself, she'd need to know who her enemies were. 

Sui's father, as usual, tried to avoid his wife as much as possible, the long worn-out insults not bothering to be tossed her way. Ever since Inu Yasha was young, he had heard him cursing and beating his wife, though he never understood it. In fron of him and everyone else, though, he was so gentle and nice. Especially when it came to his younger brother, King Inuzhao. Lord Yamashin Zanitaka was extremely proud of his younger brother, and the two were extremely close since the time of the younger's birth.

Lady Kiatosa Takura, however, seemed unaffected by her husband's abuse to her. After all, her love for her mate was as strong as steel bars themselves. As she walked on in step with her two daughters, her miko powers analyzed, like always, the powers of their household. Here and there she'd point out some particular force that she would explain to her younger daughter, Lady Kaze, who had inherited the mother's miko abilities. Her older daughter, Lady Sui, seemed content to point out good places to practice her fighting skills, all the while gripping Inu Yasha's arm until he was walking into walls in the halls, trying to free her death grip, which she had, for some unknown reason, named the "Grip of True Love and True Love Bound Together Forevermore."

** ** ** 

Kagome looked up as the mother of their brothel announced that all be assembled in the main hall to meet the King's honored older brother, Lord Yamashin and his family. Sango was with her then, and so she whispered to her friend that she'd meet with her again in their room, to prepare for tonight's appointment with the 'Angel of Death.'

Entering the main hall, she was surprised to see a very beautifully kimonoed young lady clinging to a very irritated Inu Yasha, though his brother's mask hid most of his raging emotions. It was times like these that Kagome could say without hesitation that he and Sesshoumaru were brothers. 

Yet, most of her surprise was at the looks that the young woman held. She was demon, no doubt, but she looked almost as if she, Inu Yasha, and Sesshoumaru were siblings. The same white-silver, long hair, golden amber eyes, and Sesshoumaru's ears. The only difference were her fushia lipsticked lips, currently set in a fierce, jealous, and possessive snarl directed at the entering entertainers, and her light, cheek-long bangs. Her kimono was layered, the outermost being a long, trailing, light, peach colored cloth with emerald green bamboo branches printed at random areas. Her earings were a cresent moon stud, a small pearl (that looked more like a white dot than anything else) connected to the bottom of it, which held an inch-long dangling, thin, and elongated diamond shaped gem of pale, transparent purple. Below the gem was another pearl, this one about half a centimeter in diameter, rolling happily to and fro. 

Kagome looked over the new family. The girl clinging to Inu Yasha was a pretty good fighter, though her looks didn't show much of it, but the mother and the younger daughter were definitely scholars and not fighters. The father, however, was a scholar and a fighter, as most demon lords tended to be. 

As soon as the basic intro was over, Lady Sui, as Kagome learned in the intro as the one gripping Inu Yasha's arm till it was a wonder it wasn't as slack and flexible as a rubber band, surprisingly let go of the aforementioned hanyou's arm, stepping calmly forward, still holding her face in a firece snarl. 

"Listen up and listen good, you disgusting bunch of whores. If any of you _dare_ to touch me or _my_ Inu Yasha dearest, then I will personally see to it that you die slowly and painfully. I'll pull your limbs apart inch by inch until you beg me to tear it off ASAP, then one by one, then shove them down your sorry throat, all the while keeping you nice and lively. _Got that?_"

"H-Hai, Sui-sama."

Smirking at the cowering crowd of females, she pleasantly returned to her death lock with Inu Yasha, who, was currently trying to back away to the garden doors without her knowing. A sudden thought popped into the love-struck puppy's mind, and she gaily suggested that Inu Yasha take her on a tour of the garden, though having been there every month. Snuggling up against him as he grudgingly agreed, she sighed happily.The other members of the family thought it a wonderful idea to take a stroll in the gardens, and invited some of the passing Lord and Lady guests to come along.

"Oh, Inu _Ya_sha _dar_ling! It's so _won_derful how you force yourself to act like a _gen_tleman whenever _I'm_ near. I just feel so weak in the _knee_s when I think of you, trying to impress me in my _pre_sence."

_'Actually, he's trying to fight the urge to smack you silly and run half a globe away from you, you clueless ditz.'_ Kagome, whom had been selected to accompany the reunited family to the gardens, wondered at why she sounded so unlike her usual self. She almost tripped over her own dress as a stray thought flew into her mind.

_'I can't be JEALOUS, can I? No, that CAN'T be it!'_

Her thoughts were interupted, however, as a foul smell seeped into her nose. Fighting the urge to snarl in as much visciousness as Sui-_sama_ had showed and probably more, she thought: _'Tori youkai. Damn. Looks like tonight's meeting is going to be pulled up to start in ten minutes. The damn bird demons are still 5 kilomaters away, which is why the King and the others haven't noticed yet, butif I'm going to protect them, I'm going to have to act weak and faint in some un-noticed corner when they come and attack, then get changed and get Sango down here as well. Damn them.'_

Frowning slightly, she prepared to spring, if fainting could be alternatively worded so, into action when the bird demons made their presence known to the demons surrounding her.

Looks like they'd be meeting up with the Angel of Death a lot sooner than they'd planned.

**GLOSSARY**

  
*miko= priestess  
*youkai=*sigh* It's the equivalent to demon/monster/and such  
*-chan=i'm not sure of the EXACT translation, but to signify/address a younger person, i guess. that's what its used here, anyway... except when kagome calls sango ~-chan, as sango is older than her...  
*shi-jie=elder sister according to school. see chapter one AN's  
*-sama=lord whoever  
*tori=bird

AN: How's that? I know, I know, you're going to kill me for the cliffhanger but hey, *toothy grin with evil glint in eye* if you complain too much, maybe i'll just stop writting, ne? just kidding. well, i hope you enjoyed it! i'll try to get the next one out asap, and tahnks a bunch, like always, to all you wonderful readers and reviewers out there! ARIGATOU, MINNA-SAN!! 

Disclaimer: May Inu Yasha bless us all, but unfortunately, he can't fix everything. Like me not owning him. 


	7. Chapter 7: A Scent Of Mints

**A Scent of Mints **

King Inuzhao suddenly stopped, wrapping his arm protectivley around his mate's waist, in the meantime drawing his sword and emitting a dangerous growl. Immediately becoming guarded and tense, Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha visibly sniffed, then emitted similar growls, also pulling out their swords Tetsusaiga and Toukijin. The foul scent that flooded their noses smelt like rotten cheese, and they quickly assembled themselves around the King and Queen, while barking out orders.

"Protect the Queen! Prepare for an attack! Those damned bird demons arriving in our territories is a sure sign of a fight. Get into position, NOW!"

Latching onto Inu Yasha, Sui snuggled up next to him, forcing him to focus on her rather than the incoming threat to his mother. 

"Oh, Inu Yasha, darling. You needn't worry for me, you know I can take care of myself."

Trying to get himself out of the ditzy girl's arms, he turned to face Kagome. "You'd better stay here or you'll get your little human ass in trouble." Frowning, she nodded and moved to assist the Queen. 'Guess I'll just have to jump into the fight, then.'

A shrill, ear-piercing screech was all the warning that they had, before the leader of the dozen bird demons swooped down at them, much too close for the comfort of the King, who snarled, his arm still around the Queen's waist, pulling her closer. In the same instant, he pulled his sword in a downwards slash, missing the demon, but close enough to give a fair warning. 

From then on, pure chaos was the only description. Inu Yasha let out a furious roar and lunged at the other demons, who had landed, in their humanoid forms. The leader, however, opted to stay back, still in the true demon form, and screeched orders at the 12 demons already engaged in battle with the Lords and guards there. Sesshoumaru stood his ground in front of his father, and though he hated the human bitch, his father's mate as well. The other petty females concerned him not, and so he guarded the two as his half brother took on a wild attack against the bird demons.

Sui, seeing her beloved Lord fending off the intruders with such graceful visciousness, decided to further please the hanyou by fighting with him, side by side, as they would when they became 'true mates." So in a streak of peach and silver, she clawed at the demon that had lunged at Inu Yasha. Her kimono didn't seem to bother her or her fighting in the least way, and neither did her lack of a weapon. But then again, the claws were weapon enough. 

The demons were not large in number, but these tori youkai were especially trained, and with the species' shielding, steel-like feathers and extra rapid healing abilities, they just kept getting up and fighting. Lord Yamashin had also assumed a fighting role, protecting his younger daughter, who did not have the skills of fighting, like his older daughter did. His wife was with Lady Kaze, so he was unconsiously protecting her as well. 

Seeing a demon lunge at Inu Yasha while he was occupied with stabbing a demon through the chest with his sword, Kagome took the opportunity to set her "fainting plan" into actiion.

"Inu Yasha-sama! Look out!" At the same time as she yelled, she ran into the whole mess, putting herself directly in the path of the lunging demon she had warned him about. Inu Yasha whirled around in time to see Kagome within half a meter's range of the oncoming assault. "Dammit, Phoenix, get out of the way!" Grabbing her arm and with lightning speed swinging her behind him, he took the blow for himself, but managed to block it with the giant fang of a sword. 'Damn. That would have wor-' Just as she was cursing because of the perfect-plan-gone-awry, she was grabbed from behind and, apparently, flung onto one of the bird demons' shoulder. Reflexively screaming to act the 'weak little human who needs to be rescued,' she called out to Inu Yasha as she was carried off into the air. Swirling around for the second time to her distressed voice, his eyes widened for a brief moment before a viscious roar escaped his snarling lips and his eyes narrowed into furious slits. 

Kagome bit back another fake scream, her mind suddenly whirling with a plan. Apologizing mentally to the hanyou, she slipped a round, flat pebble from her sleeves, and shot it at the following hanyou with a flick of her thumb and index finger. The pebble whizzed past him, cuting his cheek a bit (enough to inform him it was quick enough to kill), and headed for Lady Sui, who had stuck close to Inu Yasha no matter what. Startled, the said hanyou frantically pulled on the arm of Sui, and in that brief second when he saved Sui from getting a speeding pebble to drill a hole through her face, the demon carrying Kagome fled into the forest which connected to the garden they were in, off the estate property, and further into the forest. Finally arriving to a clearing quite a distance away from the estate, the demon set her down. Without so much as a single warning, Kagome's hand came down hard on the back of the demon's head, killing him in an instant. At least, it was supposed to; she hadn't noticed the metal collar around the area of neck with the death-dealing pressure point..

"Kagome-hime-sama. I am a messenger for Higurashi-sama. Your honourable father requests your presence back at the Sunset Palace. Higurashi-sama wishes for you to resume your role as the kingdom's general." 

Shocked, Kagome stared intently on the bowing demon, circling around a couple of times. throughout the inspection, the demon kept his head bent in respect, left elbow resting on his bent knee, the other lax at his side next to the kneeling knee. After she stood in front of him after the ordeal, he bowed deeper, the lax hand coming up to rest in a fist at his heart, the gesture of respect towards people of the court or the Royal family in the small but powerful Higurashi Kingdom. 

Now thoroughly confused, Kagome asked the first thing that came to mind that was not in the tangles of her confusion. "How do you know my name?"

"Do you not recognize this old, loyal servant of yours, General Kagome?"

Peering closer, her confusion turned to one of joy. "Lord Taitou? Is that really you?"

"Yes, Hime-sama. It's been a while." Kagome motioned for him to rise, and he did so, done with the formality. Hugging Kagome tightly, his face was joyous but held the same seriousness. From this, Kagome knew she was about to get another message from her father, but...

"Taitou-sama. Hold on. My father... my father is dead. He died the day I was born."

"Your father was revived."

"..."

"Hime-sama."

"What does he want?" The sharp, cutting tone of her voice surprised Taitou-sama greatly, and he took a step back, nearly feeling the angered chi pouring off of his princess in waves. 

"Higurashi-sama sends you a mission: to assassinate the Zanitaka Family, and turn the property and kingdom to your father's hands."

Fuming, Kagome was ready to yell, but kept the formality and air of authority all the same; "I will do no such thing, especially if an order such as this came from my Father! Call your men back, or you'll have to deal with me!"

"Hime-sama, to call my men back I'd have ot be there; your Father has restricted our demon powers to minimal effect, and short distance. It is a precation in case any of the demons plan to rebel or harm the royal family."

Scowling, Kagome crossed her arms and glared at the metal collar around her long-time friend, knowing that the four dark priestesses had cst the spells to restrict the demons. 

"Fine, then. You go back to the palace and tell my _honorable_ Father you couldn't find me, and I'll go back to the clearing to kick some demon butts. Deal? Deal." Without waiting for a response and trusting their age-old friendship to keep the deal, Kagome turned and leapt off, back to the group that was, no doubt, still fighting with the demons she herself had once trained and taught. _'I hope Sango's not out yet... Those guys don't know who she is, and she doesn't know them. If they really get into a fight, no doubt there's going ot be some serious bloodshed...'_

_** ** **_

_"_URGH!" 

The scene was a mess; trees uprooted and splintered to millions of pieces; rocks constantly exploding, fires starting up and being extinguished by struggling bodies... needless to say, both sides were pretty worn out by now, but they still fought on, urged by the hate towards one another's species. Inu Yasha, sporting quite a number of deep scratches and wide stabs, had to worry for both himself and Lady Sui, who's condition was much better in comparison to all the other fighters, mainly due to Inu Yasha's constant last minute saving, but was quickly tiring, her progress anfd reflexes slow and forced.

Suddenly, a high pitched, hollow _whizzing_ sound filled the air, followed by many pained yells. Blood splashed everywhere, two times more than had been made spilt during the time that Lady Phoenix had been taken, all with that single, gleaming boomerang.

Both parties stopped their fighting for a while, taking a step back from one another, and all turned to the young girl who had just caught her boomerang, high up in one of the only standing trees in that hundred-meter radius of fighting. Turning to one another, they didnt know whether or not this newcomer was on who's side, silent as she was, so both sides took precation, setting themselves and an angle to see both the girl and the enemy. Both parties had been informed before, in their seperate locations, about the appearance of the second Angel of Death, but still, the mystery was unsolved. It was easy to tell which Angel was the original — the original's cloak had not yet been taken off, therefore she would keep it on whenever making an appearance, while this second Angel's cloak had been unhooded in the first encounter with the first, so she now wore hers with the hood down, a hankershief to cover half her face, with a gas mask over top of the hankerchief.

As both the Dogs and the Birds leapt into action, the girl casually threw her boomerang, still silent. Suddenly, a quick figure raced from an edge of the clearing to the centre, leaping up and catching the boomerang, throwing it back to the girl a half millisecond later. Standing in a defensive stance with her back to the now _extremely_ confused battlers, she shook her head and sheathed her sword. 

Nodding, the girl on the tree leapt down, boomerang over shoulder and hand on the hilt of her katana, another easy identification aspect. Once the second Angle was next to the first, the Angel of Death turned ot face the uneasy audience.First, she stared puposefully at the bird demons, until she was satisfied that they had all sheathed their weapons and stood straight with respect, not counting those with serious injuries. Next, she turned to the Royal family, and bowed deeply. Next to her, the second Angel hesitated a bit, before following suit.

"So you are with the Birds, then, Angels of Death?" Myouga, evidently showing disappointment and hope, stepped up and assumed the negotiator role.

The Angels of Death shook their heads, straightening up from their respective heights. Inu Yasha, having moved back to his mother's side after the first sight of the Angels, now gripped his sword more tightly, eyes flaring with anger.

"Liars! Who'd believe snivelling thefts like you?" Raising his precious sword over his head, he charged at the two, aiming for the Angel of Death. She, having seen his slowed attack, purposefully shoved hte second Angel out ofhte way back to the tree the girl had leapt out of. Drawing her sword, she attacked as well, though in a purely defensive form, rather than offensive, or a combination of both.

As Inu Yasha cursed and attempted hits, The Angel of Death calmly avoided them. Then, so quickly that Inu Yasha didn't notice it until it was too late, she had sheathed her sword, avoided a stab by turning perpinidular ot the oncoming attack, and flung her right arm across Inu Yasha's shoulder, her neck gripping his neck enough to get the message. Due to the lack of a scent, no one could tell the emotions of both Angels, but their calmness of the whole situation was enough to put them all into allied positions. Well, it would be thought so, since the Dogs didnt know of the informative Birds' knowledge. Had the Angel intended to, all understood that Inu Yasha's neck would have been snapped into about four seperate pieces, all severing either the wind pipes or the nerve cords there. So, Inu Yasha wisely froze in the exact position he had been in not seconds ago, when the Angle had stood right in front of him, in the direct area for his attack. 

It was silent for a while, then, out of the army of the Birds, a man shouted: "You were ordered to kill them! So do it! What are you waiting for?" 

A new, furious snarl rose from the hanyou, despit ethe position he was in, and he was echoed by his kind. "Let my son go, Angel of Death. We know now what your true intentions are, and that you trully have killed my wife's dear brother!"

A soft sigh escaped the Angel's lips; so soft only Inu Yasha heard it. Her grip losened a bit, but not enough for him to get out of it. She looked towards his family, then to her partner, then finally the the man who had spoken, and then the crossbow in his hand, pointed right at Inu Yasha.

A couple things happened after the audience took her silence as a comfirmation. The Dog clans rushed forward, determined to avenge the death of a member of their kingdom; the Bird army leapt forward, determined to slaughter the Dog clans. The demon who had shouted about her supposed mission stayed rooted to the spot, however, and stayed there until he made his move. As the two side merged into one once more, Kagome released Inu Yasha, shoving him away from the path of a spear, and turned to fight her way through the oncoming demons out to kill her. Sango joined in as well, attempting to clear a path for her friend whilst defending herself. After another while of fighting, several quick, powerful, sharp, metallic _twang~zuoosh_ sounds could be heard, followed by a soft, pained "_Ah!_" and a startled, confused _"Ooomph!?"_

In that slpit second of startlement, the boomerang whizzed through the air, slicing the man with the crossbow in half lengthwise, and returned to the owner, now runner towards her fallen friend. It was then that they saw the seen clearly: the Angel of Death had taken three arrows to the chest, dagnerously close to hte heart, for the hanyou, ho was currently behind her leaning against a splintered tree, the source of his discomfort. The arrows were no ordinary arrows, as the demons could scent; they were covered with a thick, acidic poison that not even the best demons could heal without a scar or missing body part. The acid slowly entered the blood stream, its journey always aginizing and burning, and the arrow itself, like any other arrow from the Higuarashi Kingdom, as Kagome absently noticed, was made of metal. 

Reflexively and out of respect, Inu Yasha had instinctively grasped the now-weak warrior girl by her arms, keeping her upright ewhile he regained the wind that was knocked out of him when she suddenly crashed into him. Absently, he reminded himself to bring uop the subject of how fast a human could be; she was as fast and maybe even faster than a demon. Her small frame was shacking violently, he poison already taking affect, as her friend came over, Inu Yasha handing Kagomeover to Sango. As Kagome fell to her knees, her hand lifted and motioned for the remained Higurashi soldiers to leave. Then, she sank into unconciousness into Sango's worried arms. Frantically, the older girl wrapped her arm around Kagome's waist the other pulling kagome's arm over her shoulders. She gave one last look at the leaders of the Kingdom, whom were all choosing to play safe by not helping, and sped off into the forest, taking to the trees once more.

Dazed, Miroku walked up to an equally dazed Inu yasha, he could make out his friend mumbling something, the confused look in the hanyou's face and his distant eyes worrying the priest.

"...nts...."

"Inu Yasha?"

"Mints."

"Pardon me? Are you hurt badly? Come, we need to get you bandaged up; you're probably the worst out of us a-"

"Mints. She smelled like mints."

Finally turning to his monk friend but with the equally distant eyes and confused expression, he continued. 

"She smelled of mints... I could smell her... when she had taken the blows meant for me, and her body was so close to mine.... I could smell it... her true scent smells of mints...."

Now thoroughly confused, the monk inquired, "I've never smelt or heard of anyone with the scent of mints. Flowers and grasses, maybe, even manure or urine, but never mints. Not for their true scent, anyhow."

"There's no mistaking it.... mints.... but why did she save me?...."

"Inu Yasha, you need to let me look at those injuries, you've lost a lot of blood."

Concerned over his firend's dazed state, Miroku led Inu Yasha gently back to the estate, aided by a few of the better-off guards.

**AN:** okay pples! i know i havent updated for such a long time, and i thank all those that have emailed me and told me to update and all, becasue i really needed to know that people really liked my story. Arigatou to you guys! Also, i trully do not know when the next chapter can come out, but the thing is, that whenever possible, even at school during lunch, i always type a few sentences during my spare time, and so the chapter gets built bit by bit. Due to school startuing and all that crap, i wasnt able to finish the chapter, when i had it 3/4 done over the summer, sorry!

but i'll keep trying, and you guys just keep enjoying and asking questions, kay? Oh, Sunflower Obi, if you're reading this, becasue i just wanted to get this chapter up and out, i didnt change anything else yet. next time, kay? (it's 12 in the morning right now; bite me~!)

Disclaimer: me no own. dont sue.

GOODNIGHT YOU ALL!!!! LUV YA!!!!!!


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